HBA-BSM H.B. 2476 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2476
By: Goodman
Higher Education
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Department of Recreational Sports at The University of Texas at
Arlington (UTA) serves as the primary campus provider of recreational and
leisure programs for students.  Currently, UTA does not charge a
recreational facility fee, instead utilizing a portion of the current
student services fee to support the recreational sports program at UTA.
The upgrading of recreational facilities and programs on campus is a key
element in UTA's mission of providing a comprehensive set of recreational,
leisure and cultural opportunities for the university community.  House
Bill 2476 authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System
to impose a recreational facility fee on all students at The University of
Texas at Arlington. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2476 amends the Education Code to authorize the board of regents
of The University of Texas System (board) to charge a recreational facility
fee on each student enrolled at The University of Texas at Arlington to
finance, construct, renovate, improve, equip, or maintain recreational
facilities or operate recreational programs.  The fee may only be imposed
if approved by a majority vote of students participating in a general
election held at the university for that purpose. The bill sets forth the
fee amounts and limits. 

The bill prohibits the board from increasing the fee by more than 10
percent in any academic year unless the amount of the increase is approved
by the university's students in a general election held at the university
for that purpose.  The bill establishes provisions regarding the accounting
and budgeting of revenues acquired from a fee imposed under these
provisions.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.