House Bill No. by Representative Freiberg amends R.S. 17:3351.17(A) and (B) to enhance the authority of public postsecondary education management boards in Louisiana regarding tuition and fees for distance education courses. The bill allows these boards to impose tuition and attendance fees for students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, or professional programs offered entirely through distance education. It also specifies that this authority extends to courses, not just degree programs, and includes the ability to charge proportional amounts for part-time students and for academic periods beyond traditional semesters or quarters.

Additionally, the bill removes the requirement that distance education programs must be comparable to traditional in-person instruction as defined by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It retains the provisions for establishing criteria to waive tuition and fees in cases of financial hardship, ensuring that these considerations apply to both academic degree programs and individual courses offered through distance education. Overall, the bill aims to streamline and clarify the tuition and fee structure for distance education in Louisiana's public postsecondary institutions.

Statutes affected:
HB1078 Original: 17:17(A)