BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2718

By: Turner, Chris

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been reported that the student union at The University of Texas at Arlington requires renovation, and that the student union fee required to fund such a project has not increased in proportion with student enrollment and remains low in relation to similar fees at other public institutions of higher education. H.B. 2718 seeks to remedy this situation by raising the caps on that fee.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 2718 amends the Education Code to raise the caps on the student union fee at The University of Texas at Arlington from $39 to $150 per student for each regular semester and from $19.50 to $75 per student for each term of the summer session. The bill revises the requirement subjecting an increase in the fee beyond a specified threshold to approval in a general student election to require such approval for such an increase above an amount previously levied. The bill applies beginning with fees imposed for the 2019 fall semester.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.