SRC-CTC S.B. 1498 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1498
By: Harris
Education
3/26/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, 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.  As proposed, 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.