SRC-CTC S.B. 1498 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 1498 By: Harris Education 5/21/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE The University of Texas at Arlington (UT-Arlington) does not charge a recreational facility fee to its students. Most state universities charge students a recreational facility fee to maintain and expand recreational facilities. S.B. 1498 authorizes UT-Arlington to charge a recreational facility fee if the fee is approved by the students in an election. 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 54.5122, as follows Sec. 54.5122. RECREATIONAL FACILITY FEE; THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON. (a) Authorizes the board of regents of the University of Texas System (board) to charge each student enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington a recreational facility fee to finance, construct, renovate, improve, equip, or maintain recreational facilities or to operate recreational programs at the university. (b) Prohibits the fee from being imposed unless the fee is approved by a majority vote of the students participating in a general student election called for that purpose. (c) Prohibits the initial amount of a fee imposed under this section from exceeding certain amounts. (d) Authorizes the board, subject to Subsection (e), to increase the amount of a fee imposed under this section from one academic year to the next with the approval of the legislative body of the student government of the university, except that an increase in the amount of a fee from one academic year to the next of more than 10 percent must be approved by a majority vote of the students voting in a general student election called for that purpose. (e) Prohibits the amount of a fee imposed under this section from exceeding certain amounts. (f) Requires the president of the university, after approval of the imposition of a fee under this section at a student election under Subsection (b), to appoint a recreational facility student advisory committee (committee). Requires the committee to advise the president regarding the administration and allocation of the revenue from the fee to support recreational facilities on the university campus. (g) Requires the board to deposit the revenue from a fee imposed under this section in an account known as the recreational facility fee account. (h) Authorizes the board to pledge revenue from a fee imposed under this section to pay an obligation issued under the revenue financing system of the University of Texas System. (i) Provides that a fee imposed under this section is not considered in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be charged at the university under Section 54.503. (j) Authorizes the board to permit a person who is not enrolled at the university to use a facility financed with revenue from a fee imposed under this section under certain conditions. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.