HBA-EDN C.S.H.B. 2365 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2365
By: Williams
Higher Education
4/17/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The 76th Legislature provided the funds required to obtain matching federal
funds for research and extension programs at Prairie View A&M University
(PVAMU) for fiscal years 2000 and 2001. However, there is no plan in place
for the appropriation of such funds beyond fiscal year 2001.  Without
matching funds from the state, federal research and extension
appropriations are subject to substantial reductions, in which case these
programs may be at risk.  C.S.H.B. 2365 requires the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board to include in the funding formulas applicable to PVAMU
funds for agricultural research and extension activities.     

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2365 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board to include in the funding formulas applicable
to Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU): 

_an amount equal to the amount of nonfederal matching funds required in
each state fiscal year to enable agricultural research and extension
programs at PVAMU to receive the maximum amount of federal formula funds
available under the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977 (Act); and   

_an additional amount equal to 10 percent of the amount described above to
enable programs at PVAMU conducting agricultural research, extension,
education, or other qualifying activities to qualify for additional federal
funds that become available under the Act or for matching funds from any
other source not funded with state revenue.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2365 modifies the original by requiring the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board to include funds for agricultural research and extension
activities in the appropriations funding formulas applicable to Prairie
View A&M University, rather than requiring the legislature to separately
appropriate the funds.  The substitute deletes the provision regarding the
lapse of a portion of an appropriation not used or obligated in the
applicable fiscal year.