This law eliminates one of the two ways in which students may authorize fees to be assessed on tuition bills at state-operated colleges and universities to support nonpartisan student organizations that attempt to influence state legislation.

The law applies to community and state colleges and the University of Massachusetts. The law takes the place of previous law that allowed a student body, by a majority vote in an official student body referendum, to authorize a "waivable fee," or (at state colleges and the University) an "optional fee," to be collected for such nonpartisan student organizations. Under this law, the boards of trustees at community and state colleges and the University are prohibited from collecting waivable fees and may only collect optional fees for such organizations.

A "waivable fee'' is collected when authorized by a majority of those students voting in an official student body referendum. A waivable fee is an amount payable on a tuition bill, appearing as a separately assessed item and accompanied by a statement that the fee is not a charge required to be paid by the student but rather that the student may deduct the charge from the total amount due. The tuition bill also explains the nature of the fee and states that the fee appears on the bill at the request of the student body and does not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the board of trustees.

An' 'optional fee" is collected when authorized by a majority of those students voting in an official student body referendum. An optional fee is an amount payable on a tuition bill, appearing as a separately assessed item and accompanied by a statement that the fee is not a charge required to be paid by the student but rather that the student may add the charge to the total amount due. The tuition bill also explains the nature of the fee and states that the fee appears on the bill at the request of the student body and does not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the board of trustees.