Bill Text: MA H1162 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced
Bill Title: Student fees assessed by public institutions of higher education
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-08-23 - Accompanied a study order, see H04997 [H1162 Detail]
Download: Massachusetts-2009-H1162-Introduced.html
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
James H. Fagan
_______________
To the
Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to student fees.
_______________
PETITION OF:
|
Name: |
District/Address: |
|
James H. Fagan |
3rd Bristol |
|
Robert F. Fennell |
10th Essex |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS
SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1177 OF 2007-2008.]
The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act relative to student fees.
Be
it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 29 of chapter 15A of the
General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by
striking out paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) and inserting in place thereof the
following 3 paragraphs:—
(a) as used in this chapter and in chapters 73 and 75 the following words shall
have the following meanings:
“Nonpartisan”, as applied to student organizations not endorsing or adhering to
particular. ideological or religious positions in the articles of
incorporation, charter, constitution, or bylaws.
“Official student referendum”, a referendum vote of the student body which is
sanctioned by the college-recognized student governmental association and
certified by said student governmental association as valid.
“Optional fee”, any amount payable on a student
tuition bill, but not a mandatory charge or waivable fee, appearing as a
separately assessed item, accompanied by a statement as to the nature of said
item and that said item is not a charge required to be paid by the student but
rather the student may add said charge to the total amount due, and that said
item is displayed on the bill at the request of the student body and does not
necessarily reflect the endorsement of the board of trustees.
“Student organization”, any organization of students at public post-secondary
educational institutions which is open to membership of all students who pay
the optional fee and is controlled by its students.
(b) Non-mandatory student fees to nonpartisan student organizations which
employs legislative agents as defined in section 39 of chapter 3 or to
nonpartisan student organizations attempting to influence legislation as
defined in section 44 of said chapter 3 shall be paid on student tuition bills
by an optional fee whenever students have authorized said optional fee on the
tuition bill by a majority vote of the students voting in an official student
referendum. The continuation of said optional fee on the student tuition bill
may be subject to reauthorization by an official student referendum every 2
years. Necessary administrative costs arising in connection with the collection
of said fee may be billed by the board of trustees to the student organization
at the time of the transfer of funds collected to said student organization.
(c) The board of trustees shall not allow any funds for legislative agents as defined in section 39 of said chapter 3 or organizations attempting to influence legislation as defined in section 44 of said chapter 3 to be assessed on student tuition bills; provided, however, that optional fees for nonpartisan student organizations which employ said legislative agents or attempt to influence legislation shall be collected by the boards of trustees whenever students have authorized an optional fee by a majority vote of those students voting in an official student referendum. Said optional fees shall be collected as provided in paragraph (b).
