By Ritter H.B. No. 3699 Line and page numbers may not match official copy. Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E. 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. Sections 62.021, Education Code, is amended to 1-6 read 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 of the Texas Constitution. The comptroller 1-11 shall 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 2-1 additional allocation for Texas Southern University for compliance 2-2 with the Texas Desegregation Plan. The amounts allocated by the 2-3 formula are as follows: 2-4 $5,256,817 Texas A&M University-Commerce, including an 2-5 allocation of $1,027,070 to Texas A&M University-Texarkana; 2-6 $8,818,023 Lamar University, including an allocation of 2-7 $491,946 to Lamar Institute of Technology, an allocation of 2-8 $743,967 to Lamar University at Orange and an allocation of 2-9 $2,336,605 to Lamar University at Port Arthur; 2-10 (b) Each governing board participating in the distribution 2-11 of funds as described in this section may expend the funds without 2-12 limitation either at the specified institution or subject to board 2-13 authorized transfer at other eligible member institutions, and as 2-14 the governing board may decide in its sole discretion, for any and 2-15 all purposes described in Article VII, Section 17, of the 2-16 Constitution of Texas; provided, however, that for new 2-17 construction, major repair and rehabilitation projects, and land 2-18 acquisition projects, those funds may not be expended without the 2-19 prior approval of the legislature or the approval, review, or 2-20 endorsement, as applicable, of the coordinating board; and provided 2-21 further that review and approval of major repair and rehabilitation 2-22 shall apply only to projects in excess of $600,000. 2-23 SECTION 2. Section 96.703, Education Code, is amended to 2-24 read as follows: 2-25 Sec. 96.703. LAMAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. (a) The board 2-26 shall establish and maintain an educational center of Lamar 3-1 University as a separate degree-granting institution to be known as 3-2 Lamar Institute of Technology. 3-3 (b) The primary purpose of the institute is to teach 3-4 technical and vocational courses and related supporting courses. 3-5 The board may confer degrees appropriate to the institute's 3-6 curriculum. 3-7 (c) For Lamar Institute of Technology, the board may expend 3-8 funds allocated to Lamar University under Chapter 62 for any of the 3-9 purposes listed in Section 17, Article VII, Texas Constitution, in 3-10 the same manner and under the same circumstances as expenditures 3-11 for those purposes for other separate degree-granting institutions. 3-12 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 3-13 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 3-14 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 3-15 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 3-16 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.