TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Charlie Crist on Monday signed into law one of his top priorities of 2009: a bill that allows all 11 state universities to increase tuition by as much as 15 percent a year.

The so-called tuition differential bill is designed to help Florida's higher education system counteract funding cuts that have led to reduced course offerings, larger class sizes and more classes being taught by graduate assistants instead of professors. Florida's undergraduate tuition is among the lowest in the country.

The bill allows for an increase in tuition each year until Florida's fees reach the national average. The higher cost will not be covered by Bright Futures scholarships.

Crist also vetoed a bill Monday that would have allowed some condominium complexes to delay updating their buildings with fire sprinkler systems until 2025.

-- STEVE BOUSQUET

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