By: Sherman, Sr. (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 4182

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2019; April 30, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education; May 19, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2019, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 4182 By: Powell

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an intercollegiate athletics fee at the University of North Texas at Dallas.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 54.5192 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.5192. INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FEE; UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS. (a) The board of regents of the University of North Texas System may charge each student enrolled at the University of North Texas at Dallas an intercollegiate athletics fee in an initial amount not to exceed $10 per semester credit hour for each regular semester or summer session. The amount of the fee may be increased only as provided by Subsection (e).

(b) A student enrolled in more than 12 semester credit hours shall pay the fee in an amount equal to the amount charged a student enrolled in 12 semester credit hours during the same semester or session.

(c) Revenue from the fee charged under this section may be used only to develop and maintain an intercollegiate athletics program at the university.

(d) The fee may not be charged unless approved by a majority vote of the students enrolled at the university who participate in a general student election held for that purpose.

(e) The amount of the fee per semester credit hour may be increased from one academic year to the next only if approved by a majority vote of the students participating in a general student election held for that purpose or, if the amount of the increase does not exceed five percent, by a majority vote of the legislative body of the student government of the university.

(f) The ballot proposition for an election to approve a proposed initial fee under Subsection (d) or a proposed fee increase under Subsection (e) must:

(1) clearly state the amount of the proposed fee or fee increase, as applicable; and

(2) describe the reason for the proposed fee or fee increase, as applicable.

(g) A fee charged under this section is in addition to any other fee authorized by law and may not be considered in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be charged each student enrolled at the university under Section 54.503.

SECTION 2. A fee may not be charged under Section 54.5192, Education Code, as added by this Act, before the 2019 fall semester.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.

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