SRC-JFA H.B. 2933 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2933
By: Coleman (Ellis)
Finance
5-2-97
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, the Urban Academic Village Program at Texas Southern University
(TSU) will attract 4,000 to 5,000 additional students to the campus
residential environment.  Such an attraction creates a demand for
structured social and recreational activities to accommodate the students.
This bill would authorize the board of regents of TSU to charge a fee for
the construction, operation, maintenance, equipment and improvements of a
recreational facility as part of the Urban Academic Village Program.   
 
PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2933 authorizes the board of regents of Texas Southern
University to charge a fee for the construction, operation, maintenance,
equipment and improvements of a recreational facility as part of the Urban
Academic Village Program.   

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 54.5221,
as follows: 

Sec. 54.5221.  RECREATIONAL FACILITY FEE; TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
Authorizes the board of regents (board) of Texas Southern University (TSU)
to levy and collect a recreational facility fee not to exceed $50 per
student for each semester of the regular term or the summer session from
each student enrolled in TSU, for the sole purpose of constructing,
operating, maintaining, improving, and equipping a recreational facility
or program at the institution.  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
recreational facility fee account" and to be under the control of the
student fee advisory committee established under Section 54.5031.
Requires the student fee advisory committee annually to submit to the
board of regents a complete and itemized budget for the recreational
facility with a complete report of all recreational facility activities
conducted during the past year and all expenditures made in connection
with those activities. Authorizes the board of regents to make changes in
the budget that the board determines are necessary.  Authorizes the board
of regents to levy the recreational facility fees for that year in amounts
sufficient to meet the budgetary needs of the recreational facility.
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.  Prohibits the board from increasing the
amount of the recreational facility 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. 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). 

SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies only
to a fee imposed for a semester or summer session that begins on or after
the effective date of this Act.  
 
SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.