By Ritter, Deshotel H.B. No. 3699
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to relating to the allocation of certain funds for
1-3 institutions within the Texas State University System.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 62.021, Education Code, is amended to read
1-6 as follows:
1-7 Sec. 62.021. ALLOCATIONS. (a) Each fiscal year, an eligible
1-8 institution is entitled to receive an amount allocated in
1-9 accordance with this section from funds appropriated by Section
1-10 17(a), Article VII, Texas Constitution. The comptroller shall
1-11 distribute funds allocated under this subsection only on
1-12 presentation of a claim and issuance of a warrant in accordance
1-13 with Section 403.071, Government Code. The comptroller may not
1-14 issue a warrant from any funds allocated under this subsection
1-15 before the delivery of goods or services described in Section 17,
1-16 Article VII, Texas Constitution, except for the payment of
1-17 principal or interest on bonds or notes or for a payment for a book
1-18 or other published library material as authorized by Section
1-19 2155.386, Government Code. The allocation of funds under this
1-20 subsection is made in accordance with an equitable formula
1-21 consisting of the following elements: space deficit, facilities
1-22 condition, institutional complexity, separate allocations for
1-23 medical units and the Texas State Technical College System, and an
1-24 additional allocation for Texas Southern University for compliance
2-1 with the Texas Desegregation Plan. The amounts allocated by the
2-2 formula are as follows:
2-3 $5,256,817 Texas A&M University-Commerce, including an
2-4 allocation of $1,027,070 to Texas A&M University-Texarkana;
2-5 $8,818,023 Lamar University, including an allocation of
2-6 $491,946 to Lamar Institute of Technology, an allocation of
2-7 $743,967 to Lamar University at Orange and an allocation of
2-8 $2,336,605 to Lamar University at Port Arthur;
2-9 (b) Each governing board participating in the distribution
2-10 of funds as described in this section may expend the funds without
2-11 limitation either at the specified institution or subject to board
2-12 authorized transfer at other eligible member institutions, and as
2-13 the governing board may decide in its sole discretion, for any and
2-14 all purposes described in Article VII, Section 17, of the
2-15 Constitution of Texas; provided, however, that for new
2-16 construction, major repair and rehabilitation projects, and land
2-17 acquisition projects, those funds may not be expended without the
2-18 prior approval of the legislature or the approval, review, or
2-19 endorsement, as applicable, of the coordinating board; and provided
2-20 further that review and approval of major repair and rehabilitation
2-21 shall apply only to projects in excess of $600,000.
2-22 SECTION 2. Section 96.703, Education Code, is amended to
2-23 read as follows:
2-24 Sec. 96.703. LAMAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. (a) The board
2-25 shall establish and maintain an educational center of Lamar
2-26 University as a separate degree-granting institution to be known as
2-27 Lamar Institute of Technology.
3-1 (b) The primary purpose of the institute is to teach
3-2 technical and vocational courses and related supporting courses.
3-3 The board may confer degrees appropriate to the institute's
3-4 curriculum.
3-5 (c) For Lamar Institute of Technology, the board may expend
3-6 funds allocated to Lamar University under Chapter 62 for any of the
3-7 purposes listed in Section 17, Article VII, Texas Constitution, in
3-8 the same manner and under the same circumstances as expenditures
3-9 for those purposes for other separate degree-granting institutions.
3-10 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-11 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-12 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-13 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-14 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.