77R12539 KSD-F                           
         By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 3508
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3508:
         By Rangel                                         C.S.H.B. No. 3508
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a voting student member on the board of regents of The
 1-3     University of Texas System.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 65, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 65.111 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 65.111.  STUDENT REGENT. (a)  In this section:
 1-8                 (1)  "General academic teaching institution" has the
 1-9     meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
1-10                 (2)  "Student government" means the representative
1-11     student organization directly elected by the student body of a
1-12     general academic teaching institution.
1-13           (b)  In addition to the members of the board appointed under
1-14     Section 65.11, the governor shall appoint a student regent as
1-15     provided by this section.
1-16           (c)  In the academic year preceding the date on which the
1-17     term of a student regent expires, the student government of each
1-18     general academic teaching institution in the system shall solicit
1-19     applicants for the position of student regent.  From among the
1-20     individuals who apply, the student government shall select three
1-21     individuals to be screened by The University of Texas System
1-22     Student Advisory Council.  From among the screened nominees, the
1-23     council shall select three individuals and send the names of those
1-24     individuals as the council's recommendations for the position of
 2-1     student regent to the chancellor of the system.  On approval of the
 2-2     recommended individuals by the chancellor, the chancellor shall
 2-3     send the names of those individuals to the governor as the system's
 2-4     recommendations for the position of student regent.  The governor
 2-5     shall appoint one of those individuals to serve as student regent
 2-6     for the next term of that office.
 2-7           (d)  A student regent must be enrolled as an undergraduate or
 2-8     graduate student in a general academic teaching institution in the
 2-9     system at the time of appointment.
2-10           (e)  The student regent has the same powers and duties,
2-11     including voting privileges, as those granted to the other board
2-12     members under Subchapter C.
2-13           (f)  The student regent holds office for a term of two years,
2-14     with the term beginning September 1 of each odd-numbered year.
2-15           (g)  A student regent may not be appointed from the same
2-16     general academic teaching institution for consecutive terms.
2-17           (h)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may remove
2-18     a student regent from the board by a vote of two-thirds of the
2-19     coordinating board members.
2-20           (i)  If a student regent is removed under Subsection (h) or a
2-21     vacancy in the position of student regent otherwise occurs, the
2-22     vacancy shall be filled as provided by Subsection (b).
2-23           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act takes effect October 1, 2001.
2-24           (b)  The appropriate student governments, the chancellor of
2-25     The University of Texas System, and the governor shall take the
2-26     actions required by Section 65.111, Education Code, as added by
2-27     this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect to
 3-1     select a student regent to serve on the board of regents of The
 3-2     University of Texas System beginning with the 2003-2004 academic
 3-3     year.