HBA-JLV H.B. 2575 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2575 By: Goolsby Higher Education 3/26/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, an institution of higher education (institution) is authorized to charge up to $150 for student services fees per semester. Institutions spend student services fees to fund various student activities that are separate and distinct from the general operations budget of the university. However, many institutions are now charging students the current cap of $150 for student services fees, and find that the fees are not able to meet the service needs of current student populations. House Bill 2575 increases the maximum limit of aggregate student services fees that an institution is authorized to charge. 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 House Bill 2575 amends the Education Code to increase, from $150 to $250, the limit of the total amount of compulsory student services fees that may be collected from a student at an institution of higher education, other than The University of Texas at Austin or a component institution of the University of Houston System, for any one semester or summer session. The bill removes provisions authorizing the governing board of an institution of higher education to collect up to $250 from a student at The University of Texas at El Paso, upon approval by a majority vote of those students participating in a general election called for that purpose. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.