PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In-state students at Temple University, University of Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania State University could see their tuition increase dramatically after a funding bill for the three schools once again fell short in the Pennsylvania House.
The annual funding allows the three universities to offer lower in-state tuition rates to Pennsylvanians. A separate funding bill for Lincoln University passed the House 195-8 after Lincoln pledged to freeze tuition.
While some Republicans want to deny funding because of fetal tissue research at Pitt and gender-affirming care in Penn State’s health system, the majority of opposition voiced during the debate, including by Western Pa. Republican Rep. Ryan Warner, was over tuition hikes and transparency.
“Every other state in this union that publicly funds or university subjects them to their states right to know law and until Pennsylvania is one of them, I'm a no on House Bill 612,” Warner said.
House Appropriations Minority Chair Seth Grove says he’s also a no-vote as long as budget talks are stalled, referencing Gov. Josh Shapiro’s plan to line-item veto private school tuition vouchers for certain students after Senate republicans believed they had a deal.
“I will be a no-vote until this is completed,” Grove said. “And we have a final vote on a final negotiated bill between three parties which, who knows if they will ever talk to each other again with what the governor did to the Senate republicans.”
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It’s the second time the bill failed and there will likely be another vote. But democratic House Majority Leader Matt Bradford warned members about the dangers of a “protest no-vote” as the House prepares to break for the summer.
“This isn't about administrators. This isn't about health systems. This is about your constituents and mine that are seeking higher education.”
Centre County State Rep. Paul Takac, who has a son at Pitt, voted in favor of the bill.
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“Like tens of thousands of students and their families across this commonwealth, we remain in financial limbo, unsure if we will have to come up with several thousands of dollars more in tuition than we were planning on,” Takac said.
The bill fell six votes shy of the required two-thirds majority. Penn State says they're disappointed, but look forward to continued discussions on the benefits of the funding.