BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1165

By: Hegar

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

State institutions of higher education have the authority to undertake a wide variety of activities that are not strictly educational but that still support a university's educational mission.  Interested parties note that the University of Houston--Sugar Land currently builds partnerships with other educational institutions, community organizations, government agencies, and private entities to serve the region and to create additional learning opportunities for its students through internships and other hands-on programs. One example of such a partnership is the Fort Bend County library branch at the university campus, which the parties assert mutually benefits the university and the community. These parties contend that eliminating a limitation in the legislation providing for the use of certain real property by the university will enable the university to further its mission, achieve revenue potential, and continue its drive for tier-one university status. S.B. 1165 seeks to address this limitation.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1165 sets out legislative findings with regard to the transfer of real property on which the University of Houston--Sugar Land is now located to the University of Houston System by the Texas Department of Transportation and requires the ownership and transfer documents for the property, in order to clarify legislative intent in accordance with the findings, to be amended to state that the University of Houston--Sugar Land shall use the property "for higher education purposes" consistent with the purposes of the university.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.