1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to tax, tuition, and fee increases; 
  1.3             prohibiting regressive increases; prohibiting new 
  1.4             taxes or fees that are regressive. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [REGRESSIVE INCREASES PROHIBITED.] 
  1.7      (a) No law may be enacted that imposes a state or local 
  1.8   tax, increases the rate or base of a state or local tax, or 
  1.9   eliminates a state or local tax credit, deduction, exemption, or 
  1.10  other state or local tax expenditure, if the tax or the tax 
  1.11  change has a regressive effect on the distribution of the tax. 
  1.12     (b) No law, ordinance, or resolution may be enacted that 
  1.13  creates or increases a state or local fee or surcharge, 
  1.14  including a school district fee or surcharge, if the fee or 
  1.15  surcharge has a regressive effect on the distribution of the fee 
  1.16  or surcharge. 
  1.17     (c) The board of trustees of the Minnesota state colleges 
  1.18  and universities must not increase tuition or fees for the 2004 
  1.19  and 2005 academic years, if the tuition or fee increase has a 
  1.20  regressive effect, and the board of regents of the University of 
  1.21  Minnesota must comply with this prohibition if it accepts an 
  1.22  appropriation in fiscal year 2004 or 2005.  Notwithstanding 
  1.23  Minnesota Statutes, sections 135A.031 to 135A.04, or any other 
  1.24  law to the contrary, tuition or fee increases that do not have a 
  1.25  regressive effect may be imposed for the 2004 and 2005 academic 
  2.1   years.  No law may be enacted that requires a tuition or fee 
  2.2   increase at Minnesota state colleges and universities unless it 
  2.3   meets the requirements of this section. 
  2.4      (d) For purposes of this section, a "regressive effect" 
  2.5   means that the ratio of the tax, surcharge, fee, or tuition to 
  2.6   income or wealth increases as income or wealth decreases, as 
  2.7   measured by the department of revenue. 
  2.8      (e) This section applies to any law that is effective for 
  2.9   all or part of the 2004-2005 state fiscal biennium.  
  2.10     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.11  following final enactment.