78R2949 JRJ-F

By:  Staples                                                      S.B. No. 334



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to student center fees at Stephen F. Austin State 
University.      
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 54.520, Education Code, is amended by 
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read 
as follows:
	(a)  To the extent approved by the students under Subsection 
(b) of this section, the board of regents of Stephen F. Austin State 
University may charge each student enrolled in one or more courses 
conducted by [on the main campus of] the university a regular, fixed 
fee, not to exceed $100 [$15] per student for each semester of the 
long session and not to exceed $50 [$7.50] per student for all or 
part of each six-week term of the summer session, for the purpose of 
acquiring, constructing, renovating, operating, maintaining, 
improving, equipping, and financing a [the] university center [and 
acquiring] or [constructing] additions to the center.  [The amount 
of the fee may be changed at any time within the limits specified in 
order to provide sufficient funds to support the university 
center.]  The fees authorized in this section supplement any other 
use or service fee authorized by law.
	(b)  The decision to levy [such] a fee under this section and
[,] the amount of the initial fee[, and any increase in the fee] 
must be approved by a majority vote of those students participating 
in a general election called for that purpose.
	(d)  To provide sufficient money to support the university 
center, the board of regents may increase the amount of a fee 
charged under this section at any time within the applicable 
maximum amount provided by Subsection (a), except that the amount 
of the fee may not be increased by more than 10 percent from one 
academic year to the next unless the increase has been approved by a 
majority vote of those students participating in a general student 
election called for that purpose.
	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 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.