CS H.B. 722 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


WAYS & MEANS
H.B. 722
By: Alexander
3-17-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Sec. 130.087, Education Code (Branch Campus Maintenance Tax), allows a
school district or county to levy a tax in order to maintain a junior
college branch campus within its taxing jurisdiction. The law does not
deal with the expansion of a branch campus maintenance tax area. Sec.
130.087(k) requires tax monies generated in a branch campus maintenance
tax area to be expended to support the branch campus located in that
taxing jurisdiction. If a branch campus maintenance tax area exists and a
contiguous jurisdiction desires to also pay a maintenance tax to support
the existing branch campus, current law does not permit this to occur. At
this time, Trinity Valley Community College, its main campus located in
Athens, Texas, is the only community college in the state with a branch
campus maintenance tax area. 

PURPOSE

This bill allows a taxing jurisdiction contiguous to a jurisdiction that
is already levying a branch campus maintenance tax to operate, maintain
and support that same campus through the levying of a branch campus
maintenance tax. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.Amends Sec. 130.087(k), Education Code, by adding subsection
(k)(2) allowing a taxing jurisdiction contiguous to a jurisdiction already
levying a branch campus maintenance tax to also levy a branch campus
maintenance tax to operate, maintain and support the same branch campus. 

SECTION 2.Effective Date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.