By:  Staples, Cain                                     S.B. No. 627
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to imposing an intercollegiate athletics fee at The
 1-3     University of Texas at Tyler.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 54.5342 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 54.5342.  INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FEE; THE UNIVERSITY
 1-8     OF TEXAS AT TYLER.  (a)  The board of regents of The University of
 1-9     Texas System may impose an intercollegiate athletics fee on each
1-10     student enrolled at The University of Texas at Tyler.  The fee may
1-11     not be imposed unless approved by a majority vote of the students
1-12     participating in a general student election held at the university
1-13     for that purpose.
1-14           (b)  The amount of the fee may not exceed $7 per semester
1-15     credit hour for each semester or summer session unless a greater
1-16     amount is approved by a majority vote of those students
1-17     participating in a general student election held at the university
1-18     for that purpose.  In that event, the amount of the fee may not
1-19     exceed the amount approved at the election.
1-20           (c)  A student enrolled in more than 15 semester credit hours
1-21     shall pay the fee in an amount equal to the amount imposed on a
1-22     student enrolled in 15 semester credit hours during that semester
1-23     or session.  Notwithstanding the limitation on the amount of the
1-24     fee per semester credit hour under Subsection (b), a student
1-25     enrolled in less than six semester credit hours shall pay the fee
 2-1     in an amount equal to the amount imposed on a student enrolled in
 2-2     six semester credit hours during that semester or session.
 2-3           (d)  A fee imposed under this section may be used to develop
 2-4     and maintain an intercollegiate athletics program at the
 2-5     university.
 2-6           (e)  A fee imposed under this section is in addition to any
 2-7     other fee authorized by law and may not be considered in
 2-8     determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be
 2-9     imposed under Section 54.503(b).
2-10           (f)  If the imposition of a mandatory intercollegiate
2-11     athletics fee as described by this section was approved by a
2-12     majority vote of the students of the university participating in a
2-13     general student election held on or after January 1, 2000, the
2-14     board of regents may impose the fee as prescribed by the results of
2-15     the election without calling an additional election.  This
2-16     subsection expires January 1, 2003.
2-17           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2001 fall
2-18     semester.
2-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-20     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-21     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-22     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-23     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.