BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2351
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the group hospital and medical services fee for The Texas A&M University System (TAMU system) is $75 for each regular semester and $25 for each term of each summer session. This bill changes the name of the fee to the student health service fee and increases the summer session fee to $37.50. The bill also increases the fee at Texas A&M University-College Station (TAMU-CS) to $125 for each regular semester and $62.50 for each term of each summer session. It allows for a 10 percent or greater increase, but only with approval by a student vote in an election called for that purpose. In addition to providing medical services to students the fee may be used for financing, construction, maintaining, and improving new and existing health facilities.
As proposed, S.B. 2351 amends current law relating to limiting increases in a student health services fee at TAMU-CS, and to authorizing the financing, construction, maintenance and improvement of health facilities with a student health services fee at a component institution of the TAMU system.
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 Section 54.507, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 54.507. New heading: STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES FEE; TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. (a) Authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to levy and collect from each student at any institution of higher education which is part of The Texas A&M University System a student health services fee, rather than a compulsory group hospital and medical services fee, not to exceed $75 for each regular semester and not to exceed $37.50, rather than $25, for each term of each summer session. Makes a conforming change.
(b) Makes no changes to this subsection.
(c) Prohibits the fee at Texas A&M University-College Station from exceeding $125 for each regular semester and from exceeding $62.50 for each term of each summer session. Prohibits the fee from being increased to an amount that exceeds 10 percent or more of the total amount of the fee that is in effect on September 1, 2009, or as last approved by a student vote under this subsection unless the increase has been approved by a majority vote of the students participating in a general election called for that purpose or a majority vote of the Student Government.
(d) Creates this subsection from existing text. Authorizes a fee levied under this section at a component institution of The Texas A&M University System to be used to provide, rather than to be used only to provide, hospital or other medical services to students registered at that component institution and for financing, constructing, maintaining, and improving new and existing health facilities.
(e)-(g) Creates these subsections from existing text.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2009.