Bill to let colleges charge tuition OK’d

BOISE – After more than two hours of heated testimony from almost 20 college students and higher education officials, a Senate committee passed legislation Monday that would allow state universities other than the University of Idaho to charge tuition.

“This could price Idaho students out of their education,” said Tom Labrecque, student body president at Boise State University.

The Senate Education Committee voted 5-3 to send HB 231 to the full Senate. Democratic Sens. Mike Burkett of Boise and Bert Marley of Pocatello, along with GOP Sen. Gary Schroeder of Moscow voted against it.

“We’re turning our back on education,” Marley said. “The lesson I’ve learned is: When the going gets tough, the state’s going to abandon you.”

The bill would amend a state law forbidding schools from charging residents for college tuition. In 1986, lawmakers defined tuition as the cost of student instruction – leaving the state free to charge fees for things such as the maintenance of the schools and student services.

The measure applies to BSU, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College. The state constitution protects UI students from paying tuition.

Student lobbyists from BSU, Idaho State and UI asked the committee to amend the bill to cap annual fee increases at 10 percent, but lawmakers declined.

“I’m very hesitant to put ceiling” on the Idaho State Board of Education, said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, the chairman of the committee. “We haven’t been able to live by ceilings before with other things.”