Legislators on Wednesday rejected a bill that would have given public college students advance notice of fee increases.

The Senate Education Committee tuned down the measure by Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, that would require a waiting period of at least a semester or quarter between the time a higher fee is approved and the time it takes effect.

"I only think it’s fair that students and parents have the opportunity to know of fee increases ahead of time," Denham said.

But his proposal, Senate Bill 786, ran into criticism from college representatives, who said it could leave them short of funds to run a college whenever the Legislature cuts their budget shortly before -- or after -- classes begin.

"We think this proposal has a component that is reasonable in providing students notice but (it’s) premature and needs to be part of a comprehensive approach to the financing and fee policy in California, " said Karen Zamarripa, representing California State University.

The bill also ran into criticism from committee chairman John Vasconcellos, D-San Clara, who complained it was just amended with the fee delay provision last week, and the panel doesn’t have time to consider it adequately. His committee faces a deadline this week to pass bills originally introduced in 2003.

"I’m not going to vote for it today, (even though) I’m not sure I’m against the policy," Vasconcellos said.

Denham said he’ll try to get a wavier of the deadline so he can get a second committee vote on his bill.

In fall, 2003, California’s four-year public college students had to pay fees that included a 30 percent increase.

University of California regents had approved their increase in July and CSU trustees had boosted their fees in the spring.

Fees for community college students were increased from $11 per unit to $18 unit in the state budget, which was signed into law in August.