SRC-HRD S.B. 850 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 850
By: Luna
Finance
3-11-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the University of Texas at San Antonio (university) charges
students a flat fee of $30 to cover the costs associated with its student
union.  In the fall of 1996, the university dedicated its expanded student
union, which more than tripled the space available for student programs
and activities at the university.  Use of the new student union has been
heavy, with increasing numbers of students involved in campus life and 140
student organizations.  The university maintains that the current fee is
not sufficient to cover costs and growing student demand for programs.
This bill would authorize the university to levy a student union fee of
not less than $20 and not more than $75 for each semester or summer
session, to be assessed in proportion to the number of credit hours for
which a student registers.  S.B. 850 would also prohibit the university
from increasing the fee by more than 10 percent in any academic year
unless the amount is approved by the students in an election.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 850 authorizes the University of Texas at San Antonio to
levy a student union fee of $20 to $75 per semester or summer session and
requires the amount of the fee paid by a student to be based upon the
number of credit hours for which the student is registered. 

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 Section 54.532, Education Code, to authorize the board
of regents (board) of the University of Texas System to levy a student
union fee of not less than $20 or more than $75 for each semester or
summer session, assessed in proportion to the number of credit hours for
which a student registers, for the sole purpose of financing, operating,
maintaining, and improving a student union building for the University of
Texas at San Antonio.  Deletes text authorizing the levy of a student
union fee and the use of fees for a student union building.  Authorizes
this fee to be levied in addition to any other use or service fee. 

(b) Deletes text regarding a student referendum.  

(c) Prohibits the board from increasing the amount of the student union
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. 

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.  Provides that
notwithstanding Section 54.532, Education Code, as amended by this Act,
the maximum amount of the student union fee per student under that section
for the 1997 fall semester is $44. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.