LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 16, 2011

TO:	Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2115 by Coleman (Relating to the distribution of money appropriated from the national research university fund.), As Introduced

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

This bill requires the following:

   1)   Direct the Coordinating Board to provide the Comptroller with annual restricted research expenditure data for each institution eligible to receive National Research University Fund (NRUF)proceeds. 

   2)  Direct the Comptroller to allocate the NRUF proceeds proportionally according to each institution's pro rata share of the 3-year average of all eligible institutions' unrestricted research expenditures, provided no eligible institution receives less than $2.5 million annually.

   3)  If in a fiscal year there are insufficient funds to provide each eligible institution with the minimum $2.5 million, the Comptroller is directed to retain any proceeds within the fund for that fiscal year.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

781 Higher Education Coordinating Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, KK, JAW