Florida Senate - 2009                                    SB 2318
       
       
       
       By Senator Constantine
       
       
       
       
       22-00124A-09                                          20092318__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to postsecondary tuition rates;
    3         providing a short title; creating s. 1009.286, F.S.;
    4         providing legislative intent; requiring that a student
    5         who is enrolled at a State University System
    6         institution pay the out-of-state tuition rate per
    7         credit hour if the student exceeds 120 percent of the
    8         number of credit hours required to complete a degree
    9         program; providing for applicability; requiring that
   10         an educational plan be developed for a student who
   11         exceeds the required credit hours; authorizing each
   12         State University System institution to develop a
   13         process for exempting a student from the increased
   14         tuition rate under certain circumstances; providing an
   15         effective date.
   16  
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Access to Higher
   20  Education Act.”
   21         Section 2. Section 1009.286, Florida Statutes, is created
   22  to read:
   23         1009.286 Additional tuition for credit hours exceeding
   24  graduation requirements.—
   25         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage each
   26  undergraduate student at a public institution to complete his or
   27  her degree program in the most efficient way possible while
   28  providing for access to additional college coursework.
   29  Therefore, as an incentive to efficiently complete a degree,
   30  each student who is enrolled at a State University System
   31  institution shall pay the out-of-state tuition rate for each
   32  credit hour in excess of 120 percent of the number of credit
   33  hours required to complete the degree program in which the
   34  student is enrolled.
   35         (2) This section applies to each student who enters a State
   36  University System institution for the first time in the 2009
   37  fall semester or thereafter, who is enrolled in college-level
   38  courses, and who is pursuing a degree.
   39         (3) Each student who is subject to this section and who has
   40  earned credits in excess of 120 percent of the required credit
   41  hours toward completion of his or her degree program shall meet
   42  with an advisor. Before registering for additional classes, the
   43  student and the advisor shall prepare an educational plan that
   44  outlines the most efficient approach for completing the
   45  student's degree program.
   46         (4) Each State University System institution may develop a
   47  process for exempting a student from the increased tuition rate
   48  required in this section for documented extenuating
   49  circumstances, including, but not limited to, medical or
   50  personal withdrawals, credits taken by active duty military
   51  personnel, military science credits, credits earned through
   52  accelerated mechanisms identified in s. 1007.27, dual majors,
   53  and change of majors.
   54         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.