H.R. No. 2925
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State of
  Texas, 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, That House Rule 13,
  Section 9(a), be suspended in part as provided by House Rule 13,
  Section 9(f), to enable the conference committee appointed to
  resolve the differences on House Bill 51 (measures to enhance and
  maintain the quality of state universities, including funding and
  incentives to support emerging public research universities, to the
  abolition of the higher education fund, to the institutional
  groupings under the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's
  accountability system, to the independent status of Lamar Institute
  of Technology, to research conducted by public universities and
  other state entities, and to the authorization of revenue bonds for
  certain institutions of higher education) to consider and take
  action on the following matter:
         House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(4), is suspended to permit the
  committee to add the following new SECTIONS to the bill:
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 55.1771 and 55.17721 to read as follows:
         Sec. 55.1771.  TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY 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 Texas A&M University System may acquire, purchase,
  construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property,
  buildings, structures, facilities, roads, or related
  infrastructure for Texas A&M University at Galveston for an erosion
  control breakwater, a dock, or any other related 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 $5 million.
         (b)  The board of regents 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 Texas
  A&M University 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 of
  regents to meet its obligations under this section, the board may
  transfer funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The
  Texas A&M University 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.
         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 University of Texas
  Medical Branch at Galveston 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 3.  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,
  55.1771, 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 4.  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, 55.1771, 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.
         Explanation: This addition is necessary to enable the
  governing boards of Texas A&M University at Galveston and The
  University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to issue tuition
  revenue bonds to finance capital improvements at those institutions
  that are reasonably necessary to assist the institutions in
  recovering from any damage or other impact caused by Hurricane Ike.
 
  Branch
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 2925 was adopted by the House on May
  31, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House