By Ogden S.B. No. 1336
77R3415 QS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to student center complex fees charged at institutions in
1-3 The Texas A&M University System.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 54.521, Education Code, is amended by
1-6 amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsections (e) and (f)
1-7 to read as follows:
1-8 (a) The board of regents of The Texas A&M University System
1-9 may levy a regular, fixed student fee on each student enrolled in
1-10 an educational institution within The Texas A&M University System
1-11 for the purpose of producing revenue for operating, maintaining,
1-12 improving, and equipping the institution's student center complex
1-13 and acquiring or constructing additions to the complex. The board
1-14 may set fees in amounts it considers just and necessary but not to
1-15 exceed $100 [$40] per student for each semester for the long
1-16 session and not to exceed $50 [$20] per student for each term of
1-17 the summer session, or any fractional part of a session. The
1-18 activities of the student center complex that may be financed in
1-19 whole or in part by the student center complex fee are limited to
1-20 those activities in which the entire student body is eligible to
1-21 participate. The financed activities may not be held outside the
1-22 territorial limits of any educational institution within The Texas
1-23 A&M University System.
1-24 (d) The decision to levy a student center complex fee and
2-1 [,] the amount of the initial fee[, and an increase in the fee]
2-2 must be approved by a majority vote of those students participating
2-3 in a general election called for that purpose.
2-4 (e) The fee authorized by this section may not be increased
2-5 by more than 10 percent from one academic year to the next unless
2-6 the increase has been approved by a majority vote of the students
2-7 at the affected institution participating in a general election
2-8 called for that purpose. The fee may not exceed the maximum
2-9 amounts provided by Subsection (a).
2-10 (f) The president of each institution in the system shall
2-11 establish a formal system for soliciting and receiving student
2-12 comment with respect to matters of construction and operation of a
2-13 facility or program financed by a fee charged under this section.
2-14 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to
2-15 fees imposed for a semester or term that begins on or after the
2-16 effective date of this Act.
2-17 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-18 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-19 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
2-20 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-21 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.