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.