Amend SB 2567 (Senate committee printing) by adding the
following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and
renumbering the other sections of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 55.17721 to read as follows:
Sec. 55.17721. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH AT
GALVESTON. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
subchapter and subject to the other provisions of this section, the
board of regents of The University of Texas System may acquire,
purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
property, buildings, structures, facilities, roads, or related
infrastructure for The University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston for any purpose reasonably necessary to assist the
institution to recover from any damage or other impact caused by
Hurricane Ike, to be financed by the issuance of bonds in accordance
with this subchapter, including bonds issued in accordance with a
systemwide revenue financing program and secured as provided by
that program, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $150
million.
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of the
bonds authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue
funds of an institution, branch, or entity of The University of
Texas System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a
pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated
while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to
refund those bonds, are outstanding.
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The University
of Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
(d) Any transfer of funds to the board pursuant to an
appropriation of state funds to the board or the medical branch for
the purpose of reimbursing the board for all or part of the debt
service on bonds issued under this section is subject to the prior
approval of the Legislative Budget Board. In determining whether
to approve a transfer of state funds for that purpose, the
Legislative Budget Board shall consider:
(1) whether the commissioners court of the county in
which the medical branch is located has entered into an agreement
with the board under which the county agrees to reimburse the board
for all or part of any otherwise unreimbursed costs incurred by the
medical branch to provide health care services to individuals who
are residents of the county and whose net family income is not more
than 100 percent of the federal poverty level; or
(2) whether the county in which the medical branch is
located or a hospital district that includes that county imposes an
ad valorem tax for health care purposes.
(e) For purposes of Subsection (d), the county of residence
of an individual is determined in the same manner as provided by
Chapter 61, Health and Safety Code.
SECTION ____. Section 61.0572(e), Education Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(e) Approval of the board is not required to acquire real
property that is financed by bonds issued under Section 55.17(e)(3)
or (4), 55.1713-55.1718, 55.1721-55.1728, 55.1735(a)(1), 55.174,
55.1742, 55.1743, 55.1744, 55.1751-55.17592, [or] 55.1768, or
55.17721, except that the board shall review all real property to be
financed by bonds issued under those sections to determine whether
the property meets the standards adopted by the board for cost,
efficiency, and space use. If the property does not meet those
standards, the board shall notify the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
Legislative Budget Board.
SECTION ____. Section 61.058(b), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) This section does not apply to construction, repair, or
rehabilitation financed by bonds issued under Section 55.17(e)(3)
or (4), 55.1713-55.1718, 55.1721-55.1728, 55.174, 55.1742,
55.1743, 55.1744, 55.1751-55.17592, [or] 55.1768, or 55.17721,
except that the board shall review all construction, repair, or
rehabilitation to be financed by bonds issued under those sections
to determine whether the construction, rehabilitation, or repair
meets the standards adopted by board rule for cost, efficiency, and
space use. If the construction, rehabilitation, or repair does not
meet those standards, the board shall notify the governor, the
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and the Legislative Budget Board.