BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1788
	By: Zaffirini
	Higher Education
	4/15/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Travel for conducting research, attending conferences, and collaborating with persons at other institutions is enormously beneficial to university students. The Laredo Regional Campus of The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA) offers learning opportunities for students to advance their health education, including via student travel. Despite authorization for institutions to use appropriated funds for certain travel costs in each session's General Appropriations Act, UTHSCSA's Laredo campus requires clear statutory authorization to use appropriated funds for this purpose. S.B. 1788 authorizes the institution to use funds appropriated to the Laredo campus for the purpose of paying student costs associated with travel for educational purposes.

As proposed, S.B. 1788 amends current law relating to the payment of costs associated with certain education programs of The University of Texas Health Science Center.

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 Section 660.004, Government Code, by adding Subsection (e), as follows:

(e) Authorizes funds appropriated for the education of university students at the Laredo Regional Campus of The University of Texas Health Science Center to be used to pay for costs associated with the educational programs for the campus' university-level students, including registration fees, ground or air transportation, lodging, meals, training costs, and related expenses.

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