SRC-HRD H.B. 2923 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 2923 By: Coleman (Ellis) Finance 5-5-97 Engrossed DIGEST The Urban Academic Village Program at Texas Southern University is part of the on-campus residency for freshmen and sophomores that begins in the fall of 1998. Texas Southern University's current medical service facility will not be able to meet the expected increase in medical service needs due to the on-campus residency program. The number of students currently being served and the anticipated increase in resident students will cause the present facility to be overwhelmed with service requests. New resources to expand services and staff are required. Charging a medical services fee to be used for capital improvements to the medical services facility would help meet current and anticipated needs for medical services at Texas Southern University. H.B. 2923 would allow Texas Southern University to levy and collect a fee from each student to finance capital improvement projects for the medical services facility. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2923 authorizes Texas Southern University to levy and collect a fee from each student to finance capital improvement projects for the medical services facility. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY 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 Section 54.5222, as follows: Sec. 54.5222. MEDICAL SERVICES FEE; TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. Authorizes the board of regents (board) of Texas Southern University (university) to levy and collect a medical services fee not to exceed $35 per student for each semester of the regular term or $17.50 for each term of the summer session from each student enrolled in the university for the sole purpose of operating, maintaining, improving, and equipping a medical service facility at the university, acquiring and constructing additions to the medical services facility, and providing medical services to students registered at the university. Provides that a fee collected under this section is in addition to any other use or service fee authorized to be levied. Requires the fees collected under this section to be deposited to the credit of an account known as the "Texas Southern University Medical Services Fee Account" to be under the control of the student advisory committee established under Section 54.5031. Requires the student fee advisory committee annually to submit to the board a complete and itemized budget for the medical service facility with according to certain provisions. Authorizes the board, after approving the budget, in accordance with this section, to levy a medical services fee for that year in certain amounts. Authorizes the board, if the budget approved by the board contains an expenditure for the construction of a facility, to contract for the construction of the facility. (d) Prohibits the board from increasing the amount of the medical services fee by more than 10 percent in any academic year unless the amount of the increase is approved by a majority of the students voting in an election held for that purpose or by a majority of the student government of the institution. (e) Prohibits a fee levied under this section from being considered in determining the maximum student services fee that may be charged under Section 54.503(b). Requires the board, before a fee is initially charged under this section and at other times as determined by the board, to provide students at the institution and employees of the institution an opportunity to make recommendations to the board about the type of or scope of services the medical facility should offer. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.