H.B. No. 746
AN ACT
relating to expanding the availability of classrooms and other
facilities for use by public junior colleges.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.975 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.975. SHARING OF UNDERUSED CLASSROOMS. (a) A public
institution of higher education may make the institution's
classrooms not scheduled for use by the institution or by students,
student organizations, or faculty of the institution between 5 p.m.
and 10 p.m. on one or more weekdays or between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on
one or more Saturdays available for that day to another public
junior college on request for teaching courses in the core
curriculum, as defined by Section 61.821, or continuing education
courses.
(b) A public institution of higher education that under
Subsection (a) makes a classroom available to another institution
shall continue to make that classroom, or a comparable classroom,
available to the other institution for the duration of the semester
or other academic term.
(c) An institution of higher education may charge another
institution for the use of a classroom under this section at a rate
not to exceed the rate permitted for this purpose as determined by
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The coordinating
board shall establish those rates in an amount to reimburse the host
institution for utility costs and other costs, such as maintenance
and custodial services, based on the infrastructure formula funding
that the host institution would receive if teaching a course in that
space itself for that time.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 746 was passed by the House on May 12,
2009, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 746 on May 29, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2
present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 746 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor