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.