Less than one week remains in this year’s legislative session, and legislators are finishing up the final touches on several bills, which will have significant impacts on higher education and the University.House Bill 1 provides for the operating expenses of the state for fiscal year 2010–2011. It includes $50 million in new cuts to higher education.With an enormous budget deficit from last year, this bill appropriates money to cover expenses from the past year, including $4,563,219 to the TOPS fund.The bill also allocates money to 12 parishes in southern Louisiana for relief from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion. Each parish will receive between $1.1 million and $3 million for recovery efforts.HB 1 and HB 1358 were heard in Senate Committee on Finance yesterday and the meeting recessed until this morning at 9 a.m. Also known as the LA Grad Act, the bill gives universities more flexibility over tuition in exchange for increased performance. The University has continued to be in support of the plan since Gov. Bobby Jindal proposed it.After passing the House, 87-13, the Senate Committee on Education reviewed the bill and raised the tuition increase percentage from 5   percent to 10 percent. The amendment will make higher tuition come quicker for students as soon as the University meets the required performance criteria.The bill is waiting to be approved by Senate Committee on Finance.–Contact Catherine Threlkeld at [email protected]