HBA-GUM, KMH H.B. 2664 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2664 By: George Higher Education 7/27/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 76th Texas Legislature, Section 51.940, Education Code, granted statutory authority to establish a program to provide students with a debit card for purchases on or off campus to public institutions of higher education only. Private or independent universities were unable to issue such a card. H.B. 2664 authorizes the governing board of a private or independent institution of higher education (governing board) to establish a program to provide students enrolled at the institution with a debit card and allows the governing board to open the program to outside merchants, under certain conditions. 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 Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.946, as follows: Sec. 51.946. STUDENT DEBIT CARDS AT PRIVATE OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) Authorizes the governing board of a private or independent institution of higher education (governing board) to establish a program to provide students enrolled at the institution with a debit card. (b) Authorizes a student with a debit card under the program to use the card to purchase merchandise or service available through the institution or though a person authorized to sell merchandise or service at the institution, as determined by the governing board. (c) Authorizes the program to allow certain merchants to participate in the program and to allow students to use debit cards with those merchants. (d) Authorizes a private or independent institution of higher education to assess participating businesses a fee sufficient to cover the cost of implementation and administration of this program. (e) Defines "private or independent institution of higher education" and "person." SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.