SRC-TAG H.B. 1650 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 1650 78R7149 KEL-DBy: Mercer (Van De Putte) Subcommittee on Higher Education 4/22/2003 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE On February 7, 2003, students at The University of Texas at San Antonio voted to approve an increase in fees to support the enhanced program at the university's Recreation and Wellness Center and to expand the University Center. As proposed, H.B. 1650 amends the Education Code to authorize The University of Texas System Board of Regents to increase the current student union and recreational facility fees. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.532(a), Education Code, to authorize the board of regents of The University of Texas System (board) to levy a student union fee of not less than $20 or more than $150, rather than $75, for each semester or summer session, assessed in proportion to the number of credit hours for which a student registers, for the sole purpose of financing, operating, maintaining, and improving a student union building for The University of Texas at San Antonio. SECTION 2. Amends Section 54.543, Education Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g), as follows: (a) Authorizes the board to charge each student enrolled at The University of Texas at San Antonio a recreational facility fee not to exceed $100, rather than $30, for each semester of the regular term or summer session to finance, construct, operate, maintain, or improve student recreational facilities at the university. (g) Prohibits the board from increasing the amount of the recreational facility fee by more than 10 percent in any academic year unless the amount of the increase is approved by a majority vote of the students participating in a general student election held for that purpose. SECTION 3. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies only to fees imposed for a semester or term that begins on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.