HARRISBURG – PA’s four state-related universities edged closer to receiving their overdue funds when the state House approved House Bill 612, setting a condition that the schools freeze tuition next year. The $643 million appropriation for Penn State, Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln Universities was held up for months over a dispute involving fetal tissue research and public disclosure of school records. This week, House lawmakers approved House Bill 1556 which would expand what the universities must disclose about their finances and budget under the Right-to-Know Law. The proposal to require the universities to freeze tuition for the 2024-25 academic year was a late addition to the bill. House Republican Leader, Lancaster County Rep. Bryan Cutler said the days of blank checks to these universities must come to an end, and passing this legislation with a tuition freeze in it is good policy for students and their families.
