S.B. No. 1417
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the student endowment scholarship and internship
  program fund at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 54.5395 to read as follows:
         Sec. 54.5395.  STUDENT ENDOWMENT FUND FEE; TEXAS A&M
  UNIVERSITY--CORPUS CHRISTI.  (a)  The board of regents of The Texas
  A&M University System may impose a student endowment fund fee on
  each student enrolled at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi. The
  fee may not be imposed unless approved by a majority vote of the
  students participating in a general student election held at the
  university under Section 56.243.
         (b)  The amount of the fee may not exceed $1 per semester
  credit hour for each regular semester or summer session, unless the
  amount is increased as provided by Subsection (c).
         (c)  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 university who participate in a
  general student election called for that purpose.
         (d)  A fee imposed under this section must be used to
  establish a student endowment fund under Section 56.247.
         (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(b).
         SECTION 2.  Section 56.243, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 56.243.  ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE.  A [Not later than
  September 1, 2004, a] general academic teaching institution may
  elect to participate in the Student Endowment Scholarship and
  Internship Program. For the institution to make the election, the
  student government of the institution must determine by official
  action that the program would benefit the institution. If the
  student government determines that the program would benefit the
  institution, in a general election called for that purpose a
  majority of the students of the institution voting in the election
  must approve an additional fee and the potential matching grant
  from the state. If the majority approves the additional fee and
  potential matching grant from the state, the governing board of the
  institution shall impose and decide the structure of the additional
  fee.
         SECTION 3.  Section 56.246, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 56.246.  AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP OR INTERNSHIP FUNDING.
  (a)  [During the five-year period during which the institution may
  receive state matching funds, the amount of student endowment
  scholarship funding for an internship may not exceed $500 per
  semester or summer session.
         [(b)]  The amount of a student endowment scholarship may not
  exceed the amount of tuition and required fees that a student would
  be charged by the institution.
         (b) [(c)]  The amount of student endowment internship
  funding may not exceed the amount of tuition and required fees that
  a student would be charged by the institution during the student's
  period of internship.
         (c) [(d)]  On receipt of a scholarship or internship funding
  under this subchapter, a student must comply with any applicable
  conditions of the scholarship or internship funding.
         SECTION 4.  Subsections (a) and (c), Section 56.247,
  Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Each institution shall establish a student endowment
  fund consisting of the revenue from the additional student fee[,
  the state matching funds appropriated for the purpose,] and the
  interest and other income from investment of the fund. The fund
  shall be invested by the governing board in accordance with the
  policies governing investment of other funds held and invested by
  the board on behalf of the institution.
         (c)  Scholarships and internships may be paid from both the
  income and the principal of the fund, except that after the first
  five-year period after the date the fund is established, [during
  which state matching funds are payable, for any year] not more than
  five percent of the principal of the fund may be expended for
  scholarships and internships for any year.
         SECTION 5.  This Act applies beginning with the 2007 fall
  semester.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1417 passed the Senate on
  April 26, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1417 passed the House on
  May 17, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, two
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor