By Armbrister                                         S.B. No. 1626
         77R8654 KSD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to authorizing an environmental service fee at Southwest
 1-3     Texas State University.
 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 54.5111 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 54.5111.  ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE FEE; SOUTHWEST TEXAS
 1-8     STATE UNIVERSITY. (a)  Subject to Subsection (f), the board of
 1-9     regents of the Texas State University System may charge each
1-10     student enrolled at Southwest Texas State University an
1-11     environmental service fee in an initial amount not to exceed $1 per
1-12     semester of the regular term or term of the summer session.  The
1-13     fee may not be imposed unless approved by a vote of not less than
1-14     two-thirds of the students at the university voting in an election
1-15     held for that purpose at the same time and using the same ballot as
1-16     a student government election.
1-17           (b)  Not more than once in an academic year, the board of
1-18     regents may increase the amount of the fee authorized by this
1-19     section to cover increased operating costs of environmental
1-20     services funded from revenue from the fee.  The board may not
1-21     increase the amount of the fee unless the increase is approved by a
1-22     majority vote of the students at the university voting in an
1-23     election held for that purpose at the same time and using the same
1-24     ballot as a student government election.  The total amount of the
 2-1     increased fee may not exceed:
 2-2                 (1)  $6 per student for each regular semester or for
 2-3     each term of the summer session not covered by Subdivision (2); or
 2-4                 (2)  $3 per student for each six-week or shorter term
 2-5     of the summer session.
 2-6           (c)  A fee imposed under this section may be used only to
 2-7     provide environmental improvements at the university through
 2-8     services such as recycling, transportation, employment, product
 2-9     purchasing, matching funds for grants, planning and maintenance,
2-10     and irrigation.
2-11           (d)  The university may not use revenue from the fee imposed
2-12     under this section to reduce or replace other money allocated by
2-13     the university for environmental projects.
2-14           (e)  The university shall retain any fee revenue that exceeds
2-15     the amount necessary to cover current operating expenses for
2-16     environmental services and any interest generated from that
2-17     revenue.  The university may use the excess revenue and interest
2-18     generated from that revenue only for the purposes provided by
2-19     Subsection (c).
2-20           (f)  The university shall establish a procedure for a student
2-21     at the time of registration to elect not to pay an environmental
2-22     service fee imposed under this section.  The procedure must provide
2-23     fair notice to each student of the purpose of the fee and the
2-24     student's opportunity to elect not to pay the fee.
2-25           SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2001 fall
2-26     semester.
2-27           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 3-1     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 3-2     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 3-3     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 3-4     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.