HBA-MPM H.B. 2089 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2089
By: Farabee
Higher Education
3/18/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Members of Midwestern State University's student body government, as well
as some of the attending students, have expressed a desire to retain a
full-time physician for their campus.  They brought these concerns to the
administration of the university, which in turn received approval from the
board of regents (board) to pursue this matter with the legislature.  The
students at the university are aware that a fee must be assessed to achieve
this goal and would be willing to pay up to $30 for each semester of the
regular term or 12-week summer session, and up to $15 for each six-week or
shorter term of the summer session.  The administration agreed that the fee
may not be levied unless approved by a majority vote of those students at
the university participating in a general student election called for that
purpose.   

H.B. 2089 allows the board to charge students a medical service fee not to
exceed $30 for each semester of the regular term or 12-week summer session
and not to exceed $15 for each six-week or shorter term of the summer
session, and authorizes this fee for the sole purpose of providing medical
services to the students.  Furthermore, this bill prohibits the board from
increasing the fee by more than 10 percent unless approved by a majority of
students voting in a student election. 

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 Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding
Section 54.5082, as follows: 

Sec. 54.5082.  MEDICAL SERVICES FEE; MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY.
Authorizes the board of regents (board) of Midwestern State University to
charge each student registered at the university a medical services fee not
to exceed $30 for each semester of the regular term or 12-week summer
session and not to exceed $15 for each six-week or shorter term of the
summer session.  Prohibits the board from imposing a medical services fee
or increasing the fee amount by more than 10 percent in any academic year
unless approved by a majority vote of the students at the institution
participating in an election called for that purpose.  Authorizes revenue
from a medical services fee to be used only to provide medical services to
students at the university.  Provides that a medical services fee is in
addition to any other fee the board is authorized by law to impose. 

SECTION 2.  Makes this Act applicable beginning with fees imposed for the
1999 fall semester. 

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