SRC-MWN H.B. 462 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 462 By: Crownover, Myra (Haywood) Education 4/29/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Under current law, the board of regents of the University of North Texas (board) is authorized to charge enrolled students no more than $25 a semester for the medical services fee. Since the fall semester of 1997, the board has been charging enrolled students the maximum $25 a semester which may be no longer sufficient. The board has requested legislation to raise the maximum medical services fee to provide adequate medical services to enrolled students. H.B. 462 authorizes the board to raise the maximum medical services fee and provides provisions for any further rise in the fee. 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 Section 54.5081, Education Code, as follows: Sec. 54.5081. New heading: MEDICAL SERVICES FEE; UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS. (a) Authorizes the board of regents (board), rather than the governing board, of the University of North Texas System to charge each student registered at a component institution of the University of North Texas System a medical services fee not to exceed $75, rather than $25, for each semester of the regular term or 12-week summer session and not to exceed $37.50, rather than $12.50, for each six-week or shorter term of the summer session. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (b) Requires the board, before charging a medical services fee at a component institution, to give students and administrators an opportunity to offer recommendations to the board as to the type and scope of medical services that should be provided. (c) Prohibits the board from increasing the amount of the medical services fee charged at a component institution by more than 10 percent from one academic year to the next unless the amount of the increase is approved by a majority of the students at the institution voting in a general election held at the institution for that purpose. (d) Authorizes a medical service fee charged at a component institution of the University of North Texas System under this section to be used only to provide medical services to students registered at that component institution, rather than the university. (e) Prohibits the fee imposed under this section from being considered in determining the maximum student fee that may be charged students enrolled at a component institution of the University of North Texas System, rather than the university, under Section 54.503(b). Makes a nonsubstantive change. (f) Provides that the maximum fee amounts imposed by Subsection (a) and the prohibition imposed by Subsection (c) do not apply to the 2001 fall semester. Prohibits the board, for the 2001 fall semester, from increasing the amount of the medical services fee charged at a component institution of the University of North Texas System to an amount more than $30 unless the increase is approved by a majority of the students at the institution voting in an election held for that purpose. Provides that this subsection expires January 1, 2002. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective to the 2001 fall semester. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.