BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                 C.S.S.B. 161

80R13763 KEL-F                                                                                             By: Wentworth et al.

Education

4/2/2007

Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Texas State University System seeks approval to implement an intercollegiate athletics fee at an initial rate not to exceed $8.75 per semester credit hour in each long semester and $4.50 per semester credit hour in each summer session.  Subject to approval by a student referendum, the system seeks  authorization to implement this fee beginning in the 2007 fall semester. 

Currently, support for intercollegiate athletics is provided through the student services fee.  Having a dedicated intercollegiate athletics fee would stabilize funding for intercollegiate athletics, making it more predictable and ensuring more reliable planning.  A dedicated fee would also make student support of intercollegiate athletics more transparent.

C.S.S.B. 161 authorizes a dedicated intercollegiate athletics fee as a substitute for the student service fee support. 

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 Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding Section 54.5381, as follows:

Sec. 54.5381.  INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FEE: TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.  (a) Authorizes the Texas State University board of regents (board) to impose on each enrolled student at a component institution a certain intercollegiate athletics fee (fee).

(b) Prohibits the imposition of the fee unless a majority of students approve it in a general student election held for that purpose.

(c) Authorizes the collected fees to be used to develop and maintain an intercollegiate athletics program at the component institution.

(d) Prohibits the amount of the fee from being increased by more than 10 percent unless the increase has been approved by a majority vote of the students who participate in a general student election called for that purpose.

(e) Prohibits this fee from affecting the amount of student services fees imposed under Section 54.503 (Student Services Fees).

(f) Authorizes the board to impose the fee if a majority of students vote to approve the fee in a general student election held on or after January 1, 2005.  Provides that this subsection expires January 1, 2008.

SECTION 2.  Makes the application of this Act prospective to the 2007 fall semester.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.