By:  Junell                                            H.B. No. 999
       73R4910 SOS-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the distribution of certain general revenue
    1-3  appropriations to public institutions of higher education.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 403.0935 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 403.0935.  ACCOUNT FOR CERTAIN GENERAL REVENUE
    1-8  APPROPRIATIONS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.  (a)  This
    1-9  section applies only to general revenue appropriations to
   1-10  institutions of higher education that are not the appropriations
   1-11  made under Article VII, Section 17, of the Texas Constitution.
   1-12        (b)  A special account known as the higher education
   1-13  appropriations account is created in the general revenue fund.
   1-14        (c)  The comptroller shall retain the appropriations to each
   1-15  institution of higher education in the general revenue fund until
   1-16  the appropriations are transferred to the higher education
   1-17  appropriations account in accordance with this section.
   1-18        (d)  Except as provided by Subsection (f), on the last
   1-19  business day of each month other than the month of September, the
   1-20  comptroller, as a ministerial duty, shall:
   1-21              (1)  transfer from the general revenue fund to the
   1-22  higher education appropriations account one-twelfth of the total
   1-23  appropriations to institutions of higher education for a fiscal
   1-24  year; and
    2-1              (2)  distribute to each institution of higher education
    2-2  one-twelfth of the amount of appropriations for that fiscal year to
    2-3  which the institution is entitled.
    2-4        (e)  Except as provided by Subsection (f), on the first
    2-5  business day of September, the comptroller, as a ministerial duty,
    2-6  shall:
    2-7              (1)  transfer from the general revenue fund to the
    2-8  higher education appropriations account one-twelfth of the total
    2-9  appropriations to institutions of higher education for a fiscal
   2-10  year; and
   2-11              (2)  distribute to each institution of higher education
   2-12  one-twelfth of the amount of appropriations for that fiscal year to
   2-13  which the institution is entitled.
   2-14        (f)  If an institution of higher education provides the
   2-15  comptroller with documentation that the institution needs more than
   2-16  a one-twelfth distribution, the comptroller may distribute to the
   2-17  institution more than one-twelfth of the appropriations to the
   2-18  institution for that fiscal year.  The comptroller shall reduce the
   2-19  amount of subsequent distributions to an institution of higher
   2-20  education that receives more than a one-twelfth distribution so
   2-21  that the institution receives only the amount appropriated to that
   2-22  institution for that fiscal year.
   2-23        (g)  In this section:
   2-24              (1)  "Business day" means a day that is not Saturday,
   2-25  Sunday, or a legal holiday.
   2-26              (2)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
   2-27  assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
    3-1        (h)  Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the comptroller may not
    3-2  transfer or distribute the appropriations for the month of August
    3-3  1995 until the first business day of September of the fiscal year
    3-4  beginning September 1, 1995.  This subsection expires October 1,
    3-5  1995.
    3-6        SECTION 2.  Section 403.0935,  Government Code, as added by
    3-7  this Act, applies to general revenue appropriations beginning with
    3-8  the fiscal year that begins September 1, 1993.
    3-9        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-10  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-11  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-12  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-13  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   3-14  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   3-15  passage, and it is so enacted.