BILL ANALYSIS Higher Education Committee H.B. 815 By: Goolsby Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The University of Texas at Dallas does not have a facility large enough to accommodate large student gatherings such as graduation ceremonies and recreational activities. The practice has been to use remote facilities for such gatherings. The student body has voted to impose a fee to finance, construct and operate a recreational facility. PURPOSE The bill would allow the student body at the University of Texas at Dallas to be assessed a fee for the purposes of financing, constructing and operating a recreational facility to accommodate large student gatherings. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1: Amends Chapter 54E, Education Code, by adding 54.544, as follows: Sec. 54.544 RECREATIONAL FACILITY FEE; THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS. (a) This section allows the University of Texas at Dallas board of regents to charge a student a recreational facility fee. (b) The amount of the fee would be $40 or less for each student for a regular semester or a twelve-week summer session; and $26.67 or less for an eight-week summer session. (b-1) This section deals with students enrolled before the fall semester of 1998. The recreation fee for these students will not exceed $25 for a regular semester or a twelve-week summer session; and $16.67 for an eight-week summer session. (b-2) Subsection (b-1) and this subsection will expire on January 1, 1999. (c) This section prohibits the raising of this fee without a majority vote of students participating in a student election to make such a determination. (d) Under this section, the regents must deposit the collection of this fee in an account dedicated to the recreational fee account. (e) This section permits the regents to use this fee to pay an obligation issued by the revenue financing system of the University of Texas System. (f) Requires that the fee in this section not be used in determining the maximum amount of student services fees charged under Section 54.503(b). SECTION 2: Effective date: fall semester of 1995. SECTION 3: Emergency Clause SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Public notice was posted in accordance with House Rules. H.B. 815 was considered in a public hearing on February 21, 1995. Mr. Franklyn G. Jenifer and Mr. James H. Sanders, Jr. testified in support of the bill. No one testified against the bill. The chair recognized Representative Kamel who moved that H.B. 815 be reported favorably back to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass, be printed and placed on the General State Calendar. The motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, and 4 absent.