BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 702

79R6617 JRJ-F                                                                                                                  By: Deuell

S/C on Higher Education

3/9/2005

As Filed

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Texas A&M-Commerce is planning to build a new student center.  A vote of the student body last fall authorized use of the student center complex fee for this construction.  All Texas A&M component institutions now fall under Section 54.52 (University Center Student Fee; Stephen F. Austin University), Education Code, which does not seem to allow for the fee to be used for construction of entirely new student centers.  As proposed, S.B. 702 allows the use of the student center complex fee to be use to construct a student center at a component institution of The Texas A&M University System.

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 54.521(a), Education Code, to authorize the board of regents of  The Texas A&M University System to levy a regular student fee on each student enrolled in an educational institution within the Texas A&M University System for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, renovating, and financing one or more facilities in the institution's student center complex and additions to or replacements for one or more facilities in the complex.  Deletes existing text.

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2005.