1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to student union fees at The University of Texas of the
 1-3     Permian Basin.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 54.533 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 54.533.  STUDENT UNION FEES; THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OF
 1-8     THE PERMIAN BASIN.  (a)  The board of regents of The University of
 1-9     Texas System may  impose a student union fee for the sole purpose
1-10     of financing, constructing, operating, maintaining, and improving a
1-11     student union facility for The University of Texas of the Permian
1-12     Basin.  The amount of the fee may not exceed $50 per student for
1-13     each regular semester and may not exceed $39 per student for each
1-14     regular semester unless the amount is approved by a majority vote
1-15     of the students participating in a general student election held
1-16     for that purpose.  The fee is in addition to any other fee
1-17     authorized to be imposed.  The board of regents may prorate the
1-18     amount of the fee for a summer session.
1-19           (b)  Revenue collected from the fee shall be deposited to an
1-20     account known as The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
1-21     student union fee account and shall be placed under the control of
1-22     and subject to the order of the student union advisory committee.
1-23     The committee shall annually submit to the president of the
1-24     university a complete itemized budget and a complete report of all
 2-1     activities conducted during the preceding year and all expenditures
 2-2     made in connection with those activities.  The president shall
 2-3     submit the budget to the board of regents as part of the
 2-4     institutional budget.  The board of regents shall make changes in
 2-5     the budget as the board considers necessary before approving the
 2-6     budget and shall then impose the fee, within the limits provided by
 2-7     this section, in amounts sufficient to meet the budgetary needs of
 2-8     the student union facility.
 2-9           (c)  The board of regents may pledge fees imposed under this
2-10     section to pay obligations issued pursuant to the revenue financing
2-11     system of The University of Texas System.
2-12           (d)  A fee may not be imposed under this section in a
2-13     semester in which the student union facility is not available for
2-14     student use.
2-15           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the fall semester
2-16     of 1999.
2-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-23     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 229 was passed by the House on March
         16, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not
         voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 229 was passed by the Senate on April
         15, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor