78R6542 KEL-D


By:  Dukes, Thompson, Chavez, Morrison, Pena                      H.B. No. 1537



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a fee for statues of Barbara Jordan and Cesar Chavez and 
related scholarships at The University of Texas at Austin.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.   Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 54.5135 to read as follows:
	Sec. 54.5135.  BARBARA JORDAN AND CESAR CHAVEZ STATUES FEE; 
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.  (a)  The board of regents of The 
University of Texas System may charge and collect from students 
registered at The University of Texas at Austin a fee of $2 for any 
semester or summer session.  The fee shall be used for funding the 
construction of a Barbara Jordan statue and a Cesar Chavez statue on 
the campus of The University of Texas at Austin and to establish 
Barbara Jordan and Cesar Chavez student scholarships.
	(b)  The board shall deposit one-half of the revenue 
collected from the fee into the Barbara Jordan statue fee account 
for the purposes of constructing the Barbara Jordan statue and, if 
funds permit, establishing Barbara Jordan student scholarships.  
Any funds deposited in the account in excess of the cost of the 
construction of the statue shall be used to establish the student 
scholarships.
	(c)  The board shall deposit the remaining revenue collected 
from the fee into the Cesar Chavez statue fee account for the 
purposes of constructing the Cesar Chavez statue and, if funds 
permit, establishing Cesar Chavez student scholarships.  Any funds 
deposited in the account in excess of the cost of the construction 
of the statue shall be used to establish the student scholarships.
	(d)  A fee may not be charged under this section after August 
31, 2007.
	SECTION 2.   The change in law made by this Act applies 
beginning with fees due for the 2003 fall semester.
	SECTION 3.  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.