SRC-CTC, MWN H.B. 461 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 461
77R2580 KSD-DBy: Crownover, Myra (Haywood)
Education
4/29/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

In October 2000, a referendum sponsored by the University of North Texas
student association passed, indicating that students support a recreational
sports fee of $75 to construct and equip a recreational facility to serve
the students at the university.  H.B. 461 authorizes the board of regents
of the University of North Texas to impose a recreational fee on students
to provide recreational facilities for its student population. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly 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 54.5091,
as follows: 

Sec. 54.5091. STUDENT RECREATIONAL FACILITY FEE; UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
(a) Authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas
(board), if approved by a majority vote of those students participating in
a general election held at the university for that purpose, to impose a
recreational facility fee on each student enrolled in the university in an
amount not to exceed $75 per student for each semester of the regular term
or 12-week summer session and not to exceed $37.50 per student for each
six-week or shorter term of the summer session. Authorizes the fee to be
used only for certain purposes at the university. 

(b) Requires revenue from a fee imposed under this section to be deposited
to the credit of an account known as the "University of North Texas
recreational facility fee account" under the control of the student fee
advisory committee established under Section 54.5031. 

(c) Requires the student fee advisory committee annually to submit to the
board of regents a complete and itemized budget for the recreational
facility with a complete report of all recreational facility activities
conducted during the past year and all expenditures made in connection with
these activities. Authorizes the board to make changes in the budget that
the board determines are necessary. Provides that after approving the
budget, the board, in accordance with this section, is authorized to impose
the recreational facility fees for that year in amounts sufficient to meet
the budgetary needs of the recreational facility. Authorizes the board, if
the budget approved by the board contains an expenditure for the
construction of a facility, to contract  for the construction of the
facility. 

(d) Prohibits the board from increasing the amount of the recreational
facility fee by more than 10 percent in any academic year unless the amount
of the increase is approved by a majority of the students participating in
a general election held at the  university for that purpose. 

(e) Provides that a fee imposed under this section is in addition to any
other use or service fee authorized to be imposed. 

(f) Prohibits a fee imposed under this section from being considered in
determining the maximum student services fees that is authorized to be
imposed under Section 54.503(b). 

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2001 fall
semester. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.