BILL ANALYSIS
By: Shapiro
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In recent student elections, the students at The University of Texas at Dallas (UT-Dallas) voted to implement three new fees to fund shuttle services around campus and other parts of the city, to build a new student services building and to fund the school's Division III Athletic Program. However, the university does not have statutory authority to charge such fees. S.B. 285 provides the statutory framework for the board of regents of The University of Texas System to charge UT-Dallas students these fees.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1: Subchapter E, Chapter 54 of the Education Code is amended. It authorizes the board of regents (board) of The University of Texas System to charge all enrolled students at The University of Texas at Dallas (UT-Dallas) a transportation fee, a student services building fee and an intramural and intercollegiate athletics fee if approved by a majority of the student body and sets forth limits on the amount of the fees. It provides that in order for the board to increase any of the fees by 10 percent or more, a majority vote of the student body must approve the increase. The fees shall not be considered in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be charged under Section 54.503, Education Code (Student Services Fee).
The transportation fee may be used for the sole purpose of financing transportation services for enrolled students. Revenue from the fee must be deposited to the The University of Texas at Dallas Transportation Fee Account and expended in accordance with a budget submitted to and approved by the board. The board must make changes in the budget it considers necessary before approving the budget and shall impose a sufficient fee, within the limits provided by this section, to meet the approved budget. The university shall hold in reserve any fee revenue in excess of the amount necessary to meet current transportation services expenses and apply it only to future transportation services expenses.
The student services building fee is for the sole purpose of financing, constructing, operating, maintaining, and improving a student services building at the university. Revenue from the fee must be deposited to the University of Texas at Dallas Student Services Building Fee Account. The board may pledge revenue from the fee for payment of obligations issued for authorized purposes pursuant to the UT System's revenue financing system of the University of Texas System.
SECTION 2: Makes this Act prospective, beginning with the fall 2007 semester.
SECTION 3: Effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.