1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; requiring reduced or capped tuition rates at the 
1.3 	Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in certain circumstances; requiring 
1.4 	certification of reduced or capped tuition at the University of Minnesota prior 
1.5 	to distribution of state-appropriated funds in certain circumstances; proposing 
1.6 	coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 136F; 137.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. [136F.702] TUITION RATES; LIMITATION IN CERTAIN 
1.9 	CIRCUMSTANCES.
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms 
1.11 	have the meanings given.
1.12 	(b) "Estimated direct cost of attendance" means tuition and any other fees, charges, 
1.13 	or assessments directly attributable to the board, institution, or program in which the 
1.14 	student is enrolled.
1.15 	(c) "State appropriation" means any appropriation provided by law to the Board 
1.16 	of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities but does not include an 
1.17 	appropriation for capital improvements. 
1.18 		Subd. 2.Tuition reduction. (a) For academic years occurring during the biennium 
1.19 	ending June 30, 2015, the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and 
1.20 	Universities may not charge tuition for courses in any baccalaureate, graduate, or 
1.21 	professional program at a rate greater than 97 percent of the rate applied to the same or 
1.22 	substantially similar program courses during the 2012-2013 academic year.
1.23 	(b) A reduction in tuition required by this subdivision may not be offset by increases 
1.24 	in fees, charges, or other assessments that would result in an estimated direct cost of 
2.1 	attendance greater than 97 percent of the estimated direct cost of attendance during the 
2.2 	2012-2013 academic year.
2.3 	(c) This subdivision is effective if the state appropriation to the Board of Trustees of 
2.4 	the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for the biennium ending June 30, 2015, 
2.5 	is at least 103 percent of the state appropriation to the board for the biennium ending 
2.6 	June 30, 2013.
2.7 		Subd. 3.Tuition cap. (a) For academic year 2015-2016 and thereafter, the Board 
2.8 	of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities may not charge tuition for 
2.9 	courses in any baccalaureate, graduate, or professional program at a rate greater than that 
2.10 	charged during the 2014-2015 academic year, except where otherwise authorized by law.
2.11 	(b) The limitation on tuition required by this subdivision may not be offset by 
2.12 	increases in fees, charges, or other assessments that would result in an estimated direct cost 
2.13 	of attendance greater than the estimated direct cost of attendance during the 2014-2015 
2.14 	academic year.
2.15 	(c) This subdivision is effective for any biennium ending June 30, 2017, or thereafter, 
2.16 	if the state appropriation to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and 
2.17 	Universities for that biennium is at least 103 percent of the state appropriation to the 
2.18 	board during the prior biennium.

2.19 	Sec. 2. [137.095] TUITION RATES; CERTIFICATION PRIOR TO 
2.20 	DISTRIBUTION OF STATE APPROPRIATION.
2.21 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms 
2.22 	have the meanings given.
2.23 	(b) "Estimated direct cost of attendance" means tuition and any other fees, charges, 
2.24 	or assessments directly attributable to the board, institution, or program in which the 
2.25 	student is enrolled.
2.26 	(c) "State appropriation" means any appropriation provided by law to the Board of 
2.27 	Regents of the University of Minnesota but does not include an appropriation for capital 
2.28 	improvements or an appropriation authorized under sections 137.51 to 137.60 or 137.61 
2.29 	to 137.65.
2.30 		Subd. 2.Certification of tuition reduction. (a) The commissioner of management 
2.31 	and budget may not distribute any appropriation provided by law to the Board of Regents 
2.32 	of the University of Minnesota for the biennium ending June 30, 2015, until the board 
2.33 	certifies to the commissioner that it has established tuition rates for courses in all 
2.34 	baccalaureate, graduate, and professional programs to be conducted during that biennium 
2.35 	at a rate no greater than 97 percent of the rate applied to the same or substantially similar 
3.1 	program courses during the 2012-2013 academic year, and that the reduction in tuition 
3.2 	rates is not offset by increases in fees, charges, or other assessments that would result in an 
3.3 	estimated direct cost of attendance greater than 97 percent of the estimated direct cost of 
3.4 	attendance during the 2012-2013 academic year.
3.5 	(b) This subdivision is effective if the state appropriation to the Board of Regents of 
3.6 	the University of Minnesota for the biennium ending June 30, 2015, is at least 103 percent 
3.7 	of the state appropriation to the board for the biennium ending June 30, 2013.
3.8 		Subd. 3.Certification of tuition cap. (a) The commissioner of management and 
3.9 	budget may not distribute any appropriation provided by law to the Board of Regents of 
3.10 	the University of Minnesota for a biennium ending on or after June 30, 2017, until the 
3.11 	board certifies to the commissioner that it has established tuition rates for courses in all 
3.12 	baccalaureate, graduate, and professional programs to be conducted during the biennium 
3.13 	at a rate no greater than that charged during the 2014-2015 academic year, and that the 
3.14 	tuition rate is not offset by increases in fees, charges, or other assessments that would 
3.15 	result in an estimated direct cost of attendance greater than the estimated direct cost of 
3.16 	attendance during the 2014-2015 academic year.
3.17 	(b) This subdivision is effective for any biennium ending on or after June 30, 2017, 
3.18 	in which the state appropriation to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota 
3.19 	for the biennium is at least 103 percent of the state appropriation to the board during 
3.20 	the prior biennium.