By Wilson                                             H.J.R. No. 78
         77R7087 KSD-D                           
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment to provide an equitable
 1-2     distribution of the income from the permanent university fund for
 1-3     the support and maintenance of Prairie View A&M University.
 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 18(f), Article VII, Texas Constitution, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (f)  Out of one-third of the annual distribution from the
 1-8     permanent university fund to the available university fund, there
 1-9     shall be appropriated an annual sum sufficient to pay the principal
1-10     and interest due on the bonds and notes issued by the Board of
1-11     Regents of The Texas A&M University System under this section and
1-12     prior law, and the remainder of that one-third of the annual
1-13     distribution to the available university fund shall be appropriated
1-14     to the Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University System, which
1-15     shall have the authority and duty in turn to appropriate an
1-16     equitable portion of the same for the support and maintenance of
1-17     The Texas A&M University System administration and[,] Texas A&M
1-18     University[, and Prairie View A&M University.  The Board of Regents
1-19     of The Texas A&M University System, in making just and equitable
1-20     appropriations to Texas A&M University and Prairie View A&M
1-21     University, shall exercise its discretion with due regard to such
1-22     criteria as the board may deem appropriate from year to year].  Out
1-23     of the other two-thirds of the annual distribution from the
1-24     permanent university fund to the available university fund there
 2-1     shall be appropriated an annual sum sufficient to pay the principal
 2-2     and interest due on the bonds and notes issued by the Board of
 2-3     Regents of The University of Texas System under this section and
 2-4     prior law, and out of the remainder of such two-thirds of the
 2-5     annual distribution to the available university fund, one-half
 2-6     shall be appropriated for the support and maintenance of The
 2-7     University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas System
 2-8     administration and the other one-half shall be appropriated for the
 2-9     support and maintenance of Prairie View A&M University, except that
2-10     if that one-half portion required to be appropriated to Prairie
2-11     View A&M University is less than the amount of the remainder of the
2-12     one-third of the annual distribution to the available university
2-13     fund appropriated to the Board of Regents of The Texas A&M
2-14     University System, the Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University
2-15     System shall make a just and equitable distribution of a portion of
2-16     its appropriation under this subsection to Prairie View A&M
2-17     University.
2-18           SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-19     submitted to the voters at an election to be held on November 6,
2-20     2001.  The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or
2-21     against the proposition: "The constitutional amendment to provide
2-22     an equitable distribution of the income from the permanent
2-23     university fund for the support and maintenance of Prairie View A&M
2-24     University."