A-1772

Sponsored by: Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex), Assemblyman JOE DANIELSEN District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset), Assemblyman JAY WEBBER District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)

STATEMENT

This bill requires that student tuition bills for county colleges and four-year public institutions of higher education include a breakdown of the general item of “student fees” into specific categories of fees. The categories used on the tuition bill will be determined through guidelines and criteria issued by the Secretary of Higher Education, but at a minimum will include “student-managed entertainment” and “capital improvements.” The bill provides further that any amount payable on a student tuition bill as a student fee for the category of “student-managed entertainment” must be an “optional fee.” The “optional fee” must be accompanied by a statement as to the nature of the item, and that the item is a charge required to be paid by the student unless the student affirmatively opts out of paying the fee.

Pursuant to the “New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act,” P.L.2009, c.197 (C.18A:3B-43 et seq.), four-year public institutions of higher education are required to post on their websites, and annually update, a student consumer information report which provides various types of information, including the amount payable in the current academic year for student fees. This bill requires that the information on the total amount of student fees must also include a breakdown by specific category of all the fees comprising the total. The categories used in the student consumer information report will be the same as those used on the student tuition bills.