C.S.H.B. 3425 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 3425
By: Lewis
Higher Education
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Student Service Fee is the primary source of funding for
all extracurricular activities at Prairie View A&M University. Because
school sponsored athletics receives 26 percent of the funds from the
Student Service Fee, a number of other extracurricular activities are
suffering due to lack of funding. Recently, the Prairie View student body
voted overwhelmingly to levy a fee that would be designated solely for
school sponsored athletics.  

CSHB 3425 allows the board of regents of the Texas A&M University system
to levy an intercollegiate student athletic fee on all students enrolled
at Prairie View A&M University. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

CSHB 3425 amends Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding
Section 54.5393 to authorize the board of regents at The Texas A&M
University System to impose an intercollegiate athletics fee on each
student enrolled at Prairie View A&M University in an amount not to exceed
$10 per semester credit hour.  The bill provides that the fee imposed on a
student in a semester or session may not exceed the amount of the fee
imposed on a student enrolled in 15 semester credit hours during the same
semester or session.  The bill provides that the fee may not be imposed
unless approved by a majority vote of the students of the university
participating in a general student election held for that purpose.  The
bill provides that the amount of the fee per semester credit hour may be
increased from one academic year to the next only if approved by a
majority vote of the legislative body of the student government of the
university.  The bill provides that if the amount of the increase exceeds
five percent, the increase must also be approved by a majority vote of the
students of the university participating in a general student election
held for that purpose.  The bill provides that a fee imposed by this Act
may be used to develop and maintain an intercollegiate athletics program
at the university, and that the fee is in addition to any other fee
authorized by law and may not be considered in determining the maximum
amount of student services fee that may be imposed under Section 54.503. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of
all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article
III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary
for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute conforms the original to Texas Legislative Council style
and format.