SRC-JJJ S.B. 332 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 332
76R4452 JSA-DBy: Moncrief
Education
3/29/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, public and private institutions of higher education in Texas
offer a wide range of internship opportunities in the Washington, D.C.
area, and are typically arranged at the academic department level in each
institution.  Internships often combine intense practical work experience
and certain types of course work, which can lead to internships costing a
student quite a bit of money.  S.B. 332 would authorize institutions of
higher education  to impose a fee to support Washington, D.C., internships
and would abolish the Texas-Washington, D.C., intern scholarship program. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 332 authorizes institutions of higher education  to
impose a fee to support Washington, D.C., internships and abolishes the
Texas-Washington, D.C., intern scholarship 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 54.5134,
as follows:   

Sec. 54.5134.  WASHINGTON, D.C., INTERNSHIP EDUCATION FEE.  Authorizes the
governing board of an institution of higher education  to collect from each
student registered at the institution a fee not to exceed $1 per semester
or summer session.  Requires revenue from the fee to be deposited in a fund
established by the institution outside the state treasury and identified as
the institution's Washington, D.C., internship financial aid fund (fund).
Authorizes money in the fund to be used only to assist a student
participating in a Washington, D.C. internship program administered by the
institution.  Authorizes the fund to be used in accordance with guidelines
jointly developed by the student governing body and the administration of
the institution.  Provides that if a school has no student governing body,
the president may appoint a committee of students to assist with the
development of the guidelines.  Prohibits a fee under this section from
being considered in determining the maximum amount of student  services
fees that may be charged.   

SECTION 2.(a) Repealer: Chapter 56L, Education Code (Texas-Washington,
D.C., Intern Scholarship Program). 

(b)  Establishes that the repeal does not affect a grant awarded under that
subchapter before the effective date of this section  or the completion of
the internship pursuant to the grant, and the repealed law remains in
effect for that purpose. 

SECTION 3.  (a) Provides that SECTION 1 of this Act applies beginning with
the 1999 fall              semester. 
   
 (b)  Effective date of SECTION 2: September 1, 1999.

 SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.