HBA-RBT H.B. 1346 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1346
By: Salinas
Ways & Means
3/11/1999
Introduced


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

One of the most effective ways for counties to promote local economic
development is to make available to residents opportunities to obtain
higher education or advanced vocational training. Small rural counties have
traditionally had a difficult time attracting institutions of higher
learning, whether in the form of daytime extension facilities, actual
branch campuses, or vocational facilities. One of the biggest obstacles to
attracting an educational institution is the availability of buildings for
classroom space and administrative offices.   

H.B. 1346 makes it easier for counties to raise the necessary funds to
build or renovate buildings in order to make higher educational
opportunities available to residents of the county.  This bill allows
county commissioners courts to call, after a vote, a maintenance and
operation tax election without being petitioned by a local steering
committee to do so.  The voters then make the ultimate decision as to
whether the tax is approved.  This bill provides that if a tax is approved
by county voters, the funds generated by the tax can be used to obtain real
property and for construction or renovation of buildings which would make
available higher educational opportunities for residents subject to the
tax.   
 
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 130.087(b), Education Code, to authorize the
governing body of a county, or of a county contiguous to the county, on its
own motion and without the presentation of a petition, to propose an
election to authorize a branch campus maintenance tax if the legislature
appropriates money to provide financial assistance to the establishment of
a public junior college branch campus in that county.  Requires petitions
to be forwarded to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board),
rather than the Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding
Section 61.0625, as follows: 

Sec.  61.0625.  FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ESTABLISH JUNIOR COLLEGE BRANCH
CAMPUS.  Requires the board to administer money appropriated to provide
financial assistance to the establishment of public junior college branch
campuses and to provide financial assistance to the extent the money is
sufficient to cover costs and expenses incurred in establishing branch
campuses approved by the board.  Requires the board to use the money to
cover the costs and expenses of establishing a branch campus, including the
costs of purchasing real property or constructing buildings or other
facilities, as directed by the governing body of the public junior college
district establishing the branch campus if an appropriation is made to
provide financial assistance to the establishment of a branch campus in a
particular county. 

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