House approves measure to save PACT

Published 3:17 pm Thursday, April 8, 2010

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama House has approved a bill to commit $236 million from the state education budget to guarantee that tuition is provided for students whose parents and grandparents invested in the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition plan.

The House voted 102-0 to approve the bill that includes a provision to cap tuition increases at 2.5 percent for PACT participants. Colleges and universities have opposed that provision and it was not included in the version that passed the Senate earlier.

The sponsor, Democratic Rep. Craig Ford of Gadsden, said he hopes a compromise will be reached in the conference committee.

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Dozens of parents and grandparents who bought PACT programs gathered at the Statehouse to urge passage of the bill.