By: Mercer, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte) H.B. No. 1649
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 7, 2003;
April 9, 2003, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on
Higher Education; May 15, 2003, reported to Committee on
Education; May 19, 2003, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0;
May 19, 2003, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1649 By: Van de Putte
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to student fees charged at The University of Texas at San
Antonio.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 54.5321 and 54.5322 to read as follows:
Sec. 54.5321. TRANSPORTATION FEE; THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
AT SAN ANTONIO. (a) The board of regents of The University of
Texas System may impose on each student enrolled at The University
of Texas at San Antonio a transportation fee not to exceed $50 for
each regular semester and not to exceed $25 for each term of the
summer session, for the sole purpose of financing transportation
services, including capital expenses, for students attending The
University of Texas at San Antonio. The fee is in addition to any
other use fee or service fee authorized by law. The fee may not be
imposed unless the fee is approved by a majority vote of the
students participating in a general student election held for that
purpose.
(b) The board may not increase the amount of the
transportation fee 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.
(c) Revenue from the fee shall be deposited to an account
known as The University of Texas at San Antonio Transportation Fee
Account and shall be expended in accordance with a budget submitted
to and approved by the board. The board shall make any changes in
the budget the board considers necessary before approving the
budget and shall impose the fee, within the limits provided by this
section, in an amount sufficient to meet the budget as approved.
(d) A fee imposed under this section may not be considered
in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may
be charged under Section 54.503.
(e) The university shall hold in reserve any fee revenue
that exceeds the amount necessary to meet the current expenses of
the transportation services and shall apply that revenue only to
future expenses of the transportation services.
Sec. 54.5322. INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FEE; THE
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO. (a) The board of regents of
The University of Texas System may impose a mandatory
intercollegiate athletics fee on each student enrolled at The
University of Texas at San Antonio. The amount of the fee may not
exceed $7 per semester credit hour for each regular semester, not to
exceed a total of $84 per semester, unless the amount is increased
by the board, subject to the limitation provided by Subsection (b).
The fee may not be imposed unless approved by a majority vote of the
students participating in a general student election held for that
purpose.
(b) The board may not increase the amount of the fee 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.
(c) The board may prorate the amount of the fee for a summer
session.
(d) The fee imposed under this section may not be considered
in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may
be imposed under Section 54.503.
SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act take 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.
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