Florida Senate - 2019                                     SB 680
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       8-00817C-19                                            2019680__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to excess credit hour surcharges;
    3         amending s. 1009.286, F.S.; requiring a state
    4         university to calculate an excess hour threshold for
    5         each student based on specified criteria; providing
    6         that the excess hour threshold may be adjusted only
    7         under certain circumstances; revising the threshold
    8         for assessing the excess credit hour surcharge;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 1009.286, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         1009.286 Additional student payment for hours exceeding
   16  baccalaureate degree program completion requirements at state
   17  universities.—
   18         (2) State universities shall require a student to pay an
   19  excess hour surcharge for each credit hour in excess of the
   20  number of credit hours required to complete the baccalaureate
   21  degree program in which the student is enrolled. Each university
   22  must calculate an excess hour threshold for each student based
   23  on the number of credit hours required for the degree. For any
   24  student who changes degree programs, the excess hour threshold
   25  may not be adjusted unless the number of credit hours required
   26  to complete the new degree program exceeds that of the original
   27  degree program. The excess hour surcharge shall become effective
   28  for students who enter a state university for the first time and
   29  maintain continuous enrollment is as follows:
   30         (a) For the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years, an
   31  excess hour surcharge equal to 50 percent of the tuition rate
   32  for each credit hour in excess of 120 percent.
   33         (b) For the 2011-2012 academic year, an excess hour
   34  surcharge equal to 100 percent of the tuition rate for each
   35  credit hour in excess of 115 percent.
   36         (c) For the 2012-2013 academic year through the 2019 spring
   37  term and thereafter, an excess hour surcharge equal to 100
   38  percent of the tuition rate for each credit hour in excess of
   39  110 percent. For the 2019 summer term and thereafter, an excess
   40  hour surcharge equal to 100 percent of the tuition rate for each
   41  credit hour in excess of 120 percent. Notwithstanding the
   42  requirements of this subsection, a state university shall refund
   43  the excess hour surcharge assessed pursuant to this paragraph
   44  for up to 12 credit hours to any first-time-in-college student
   45  who completes a baccalaureate degree program within 4 years
   46  after his or her initial enrollment in a state university.
   47         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.