SRC-ARR C.S.H.B. 1488 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 1488
76R12766 CAG-DBy: Oliveira (Lucio)
Education
4/23/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Current student enrollment at The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB)
is 8,812 and is projected to increase in the next 10 years. There is a
current lack of on-campus facilities in which students may conduct
activities between classes. On February 18, 1998, students at UTB voted in
favor of a per-semester fee increase for the construction of a new student
union facility. C.S.H.B. 1488 would authorize a student union building fee
at UTB and prohibits the board of regents of UTB from increasing the fee
more than 10 percent in any academic year. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 1488 authorizes a student union building fee at The
University of Texas at Brownsville and student union fees at public junior
colleges. 

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 54.546, as
follows: 

Sec. 54.546. STUDENT UNION FEES; THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE.
Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System (board)
to impose on each student enrolled at The University of Texas at
Brownsville (UTB) a student union fee of not less than $34.35 or more than
$70 for each semester or long summer session for the sole purpose of
financing, constructing, operating, maintaining, renovating, and improving
a student union building owned by Texas Southmost College (TSC) and used by
the partnership of UTB and TSC under Section 78.02. Authorizes the fee to
be imposed in addition to any other fee. Requires revenue from the fee
imposed under this section to be deposited to an account known as the UTB
student union account. Requires money in the account to be used in
accordance with terms of the partnership agreements entered into between
UTB and TSC under Section 78.02. Authorizes the board of trustees of the
Southmost Union Junior College District (district) to pledge certain
revenue from a fee imposed under this section for the payment of
obligations issued by the district to finance construction and improvement
of a student union building to be owned by TSC and used by the two
institutions under the partnership. Prohibits the board from pledging
revenue from the fee for the payment of obligations issued for an
authorized purpose under the revenue financing system of the University of
Texas System. Prohibits the board from increasing the amount of the 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 and by a majority of the members of the legislative body of
the student government of the institution. Requires the fee imposed under
this section to be in the same amount as the student union fee charged a
student at TSC by the board of trustees of Southmost Union Junior College
District. Authorizes a student attending either or both institutions to be
charged a student union fee by only one of the institutions. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 130.123(c), Education Code, to require the board
to be authorized to fix and collect student union fees. 
 
SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
                      Effective date: upon passage.  

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1. 

Amends Section 54.546, Education Code, to authorize the board of trustees
of the district to pledge certain revenue from a fee imposed under this
section for the payment of obligations issued by the district to finance
construction and improvement of a student union building to be owned by TSC
and used by the two institutions under the partnership. Prohibits the board
from pledging revenue from the fee for the payment of obligations issued
for an authorized purpose under the revenue financing system of the
University of Texas System. 

SECTION 2. 

Amends Section 130.123(c), Education Code, to require the board to be
authorized to fix and collect student union fees.