By: Harris S.B. No. 1498
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to authorizing a recreational facility fee at The
1-3 University of Texas at Arlington.
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 54.5122 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 54.5122. RECREATIONAL FACILITY FEE; THE UNIVERSITY OF
1-8 TEXAS AT ARLINGTON. (a) The board of regents of The University of
1-9 Texas System may charge each student enrolled at The University of
1-10 Texas at Arlington a recreational facility fee to finance,
1-11 construct, renovate, improve, equip, or maintain recreational
1-12 facilities or to operate recreational programs at the university.
1-13 (b) The fee may not be imposed unless the fee is approved by
1-14 a majority vote of the students participating in a general student
1-15 election called for that purpose.
1-16 (c) The initial amount of a fee imposed under this section
1-17 may not exceed:
1-18 (1) $9 per student for a regular semester;
1-19 (2) $6 per student for a summer session of 10 weeks or
1-20 more;
1-21 (3) $4 per student for a summer session of eight weeks
1-22 or more but less than 10 weeks; and
1-23 (4) $3 per student for a summer session of less than
1-24 eight weeks.
1-25 (d) Subject to Subsection (e), the board of regents may
2-1 increase the amount of a fee imposed under this section from one
2-2 academic year to the next with the approval of the legislative body
2-3 of the student government of The University of Texas at Arlington,
2-4 except that an increase in the amount of a fee from one academic
2-5 year to the next of more than 10 percent must be approved by a
2-6 majority vote of the students voting in a general student election
2-7 called for that purpose.
2-8 (e) The amount of a fee imposed under this section may not
2-9 exceed:
2-10 (1) $75 per student for a regular semester;
2-11 (2) $50 per student for a summer session of 10 weeks
2-12 or more;
2-13 (3) $35 per student for a summer session of eight
2-14 weeks or more but less than 10 weeks;
2-15 (4) $25 per student for a summer session of less than
2-16 eight weeks; and
2-17 (5) $10 per student for a summer session of less than
2-18 three weeks for a student who was not enrolled at the university
2-19 for the preceding regular semester.
2-20 (f) After approval of the imposition of a fee under this
2-21 section at a student election under Subsection (b), the president
2-22 of The University of Texas at Arlington shall appoint a
2-23 recreational facility student advisory committee. The committee
2-24 shall advise the president regarding the administration and
2-25 allocation of the revenue from the fee to support recreational
2-26 facilities on the university campus.
3-1 (g) The board of regents shall deposit the revenue from a
3-2 fee imposed under this section in an account known as the
3-3 recreational facility fee account.
3-4 (h) The board of regents may pledge revenue from a fee
3-5 imposed under this section to pay an obligation issued under the
3-6 revenue financing system of The University of Texas System.
3-7 (i) A fee imposed under this section is not considered in
3-8 determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be
3-9 charged at The University of Texas at Arlington under Section
3-10 54.503.
3-11 (j) The board of regents may permit a person who is not
3-12 enrolled at The University of Texas at Arlington to use a facility
3-13 financed with revenue from a fee imposed under this section if:
3-14 (1) the person's use of the facility will not
3-15 materially interfere with the use of the facility by students of
3-16 the university;
3-17 (2) the person is charged a fee for using the facility
3-18 that is not less than the student fee and that is not less than the
3-19 direct and indirect cost to the university of providing for the
3-20 person's use; and
3-21 (3) the person's use will not materially increase the
3-22 potential liability of the university.
3-23 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-24 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-25 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-26 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
4-1 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.