By: Wentworth, Williams, Uresti  S.B. No. 161
         (In the Senate - Filed December 27, 2006; January 29, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Subcommittee on Higher Education;
  April 3, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute from Committee on Education by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 3, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 161 By:  Van de Putte
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to intercollegiate athletics fees at institutions within
  the Texas State University System.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 54.5381 to read as follows:
         Sec. 54.5381.  INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FEE: TEXAS STATE
  UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.  (a)  The board of regents of the Texas State
  University System may impose an intercollegiate athletics fee on
  each student enrolled at a component institution of the Texas State
  University System in an amount not to exceed:
               (1)  $8.75 per semester credit hour for each regular
  semester; and
               (2)  $4.50 per semester credit hour for each summer
  session.
         (b)  The fee may not be imposed unless approved by a majority
  vote of the students of the applicable component institution who
  participate in a general student election held for that purpose.
         (c)  A fee imposed under this section may be used to develop
  and maintain an intercollegiate athletics program at the component
  institution.
         (d)  The amount of the fee may not be increased by more than
  10 percent unless the increase has been approved by a majority vote
  of the students enrolled at the component institution who
  participate in a general student election called for that purpose.
         (e)  A fee imposed under this section is in addition to any
  other fee authorized by law and may not be considered in determining
  the maximum amount of student services fees that may be imposed
  under Section 54.503.
         (f)  If the imposition of a mandatory intercollegiate
  athletics fee as described by this section was approved by a
  majority vote of the students of the component institution who
  participated in a general student election held on or after January
  1, 2005, the board of regents may impose the fee as prescribed by
  the results of the election without calling an additional election.
  This subsection expires January 1, 2008.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2007 fall
  semester.
         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, 2007.
 
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