BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 3312
	By: Morrison (Kolkhorst)
	Higher Education
	5/17/2019
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

C.S.H.B. 3312 authorizes a Health and Wellness Center Fee as proposed by the University of Houston-Victoria Student Government Association and supported by the student body. This fee would be used for the construction of the Health and Wellness Center that includes sports and recreational facilities. At present, the campus lacks these kinds of recreational spaces that support student wellbeing and that can prove to be vital in recruiting and retaining students. This fee was proposed by the UHV Student Government Association and was offered as a student referendum that ultimately passed with overwhelming support of 73.6 percent in support of the fee. Under C.S.H.B. 3312, the University of Houston System Board of Regents must also vote in favor of authorizing the fee to pay for the expanded facilities. The fee would only apply to students who live within 50 miles of the corporate limits of Victoria.

The committee substitute for H.B. 3312 allows for more transparency for students by clearly stating the amount of the fee and reason for an increase on the ballot, should there be a proposed increase in the future. The added language is as follows, �the ballot proposition for an election under this subsection must clearly state the amount of the proposed fee increase and describe the reason for the proposed fee increase.�

C.S.H.B. 3312 amends current law relating to authorizing a health and wellness center fee at the University of Houston-Victoria.

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 Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding Section 54.5406, as follows:

Sec. 54.5406.� HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER FEE; UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-VICTORIA. (a) Authorizes the board of regents of the University of Houston System (board; UH System) to charge each student enrolled at the University of Houston-Victoria (UH-Victoria) a health and wellness center fee. Prohibits the fee from being used only for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating, maintaining, improving, and equipping a health and wellness center at UH-Victoria. Provides that a fee charged under this section is in addition to any use or service fee authorized to be charged under other law.

(b) Prohibits the health and wellness center fee from being charged unless the charging of the fee is approved by a majority vote of the students enrolled at the university participating in a general student election held for that purpose.

(1) $150 per student for each regular semester;

(2) $100 per student for each summer session of 10 weeks or longer; or

(3) $50 per student for each summer session of less than 10 weeks.

(d) Requires revenue from a fee charged under this section to be deposited to the credit of an account known as the UH-Victoria Health and Wellness Center Fee Account under the control of the university's student fee advisory committee (committee). Requires the committee, annually, to submit to the president of the university its recommendation for any change to the amount of the fee and a complete and itemized budget for the health and wellness center together with a complete report of all health and wellness center activities conducted during the past year and all expenditures made in connection with those activities. Requires the president to submit the budget to the board as part of the university's institutional budget. Authorizes the board to make changes in the budget that the board determines are necessary.

(e) Authorizes the board to increase the amount of a fee charged under this section, except that a fee increase by 10 percent or more of the amount of the fee charged during the preceding academic year must be approved by a majority vote of students enrolled at the university participating in a general student election held for that purpose. Requires the ballot proposition for an election under this subsection to clearly state the amount of the proposed fee increase and describe the reason for the proposed fee increase.

(f) Provides that the health and wellness center fee is not considered in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be charged under Section 54.503 (Waiver of Fees).

(g) Provides that, for purposes of determining whether to waive the imposition of the fee as provided under Section 54.5035, a student is not reasonably able to use the health and wellness center for which a fee is imposed under this section if the student lives more than 50 miles outside the corporate limits of Victoria, Texas.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.