HBA-MPM C.S.H.B. 1027 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1027
By: Solomons
Higher Education
3/25/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, student center fees for a state institution of higher learning
are addressed through legislation specific to each institution, as are
increases in these fees.  The student center of one Texas Women's
University (TWU) campus is in need of renovation, and there are no
designated student center facilities for students at two other campuses.
C.S.H.B. 1027 authorizes TWU's board of regents to raise student fees, with
a long session semester fee range of $25 to $40, rather than the current
fee of $20; and a summer session fee range of $12.50 to $20.00, rather than
the current fee of $10.00.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 54.525(a) and (b), Education Code, to authorize
the board of regents (board) of Texas Women's University to levy a regular,
fixed student fee (fee) of not less than $25 or more than $40, rather than
a fee not to exceed $20, per student for each long session semester.
Authorizes the board to levy a fee of not less than $12.50 or more than
$20, rather than a fee not to exceed $10, per student for each summer
session term.  

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective beginning with the
1999 fall semester. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1027 modifies the original in SECTION 1 by not amending Section
54.525(b), Education Code, which has the effect of deleting the provision
which authorizes the board to increase a fee with the concurrence of the
Student Fee Allocation Committee or similar entity established to advise or
assist the board in imposing or allocating student fees, and reinstating
deleted text in the original bill which requires that a majority of the
students voting in an election called for the purpose of increasing a fee
must approve the increase if it is for more than $3 per fiscal year.