Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2182 Compare Versions

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1	1	S.B. No. 2182
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to an environmental service fee at public institutions of
6	6	higher education.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 54.5041 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 54.5041. ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE FEE. (a) The
11	11	governing board of an institution of higher education may charge
12	12	each student enrolled at the institution an environmental service
13	13	fee, if the fee has been approved by a majority vote of the students
14	14	enrolled at the institution who participate in a general student
15	15	election called for that purpose.
16	16	(b) Unless increased in accordance with Subsection (d), the
17	17	amount of the fee may not exceed:
18	18	(1) $5 for each regular semester or summer term of more
19	19	than six weeks; or
20	20	(2) $2.50 for each summer session of six weeks or less.
21	21	(c) The fee may be used only to:
22	22	(1) provide environmental improvements at the
23	23	institution through services related to recycling, energy
24	24	efficiency and renewable energy, transportation, employment,
25	25	product purchasing, planning and maintenance, or irrigation; or
26	26	(2) provide matching funds for grants to obtain
27	27	environmental improvements described by Subdivision (1).
28	28	(d) The amount of the fee may not be increased unless the
29	29	increase has been approved by a majority vote of the students
30	30	enrolled at the institution who participate in a general student
31	31	election called for that purpose. The fee may not be increased
32	32	under this subsection if the increase would result in a fee under
33	33	this section in an amount that exceeds:
34	34	(1) $10 for each regular semester or summer term of
35	35	more than six weeks; or
36	36	(2) $5 for each summer session of six weeks or less.
37	37	(e) An institution that imposes the environmental service
38	38	fee may not use the revenue generated by the fee to reduce or
39	39	replace other money allocated by the institution for environmental
40	40	projects.
41	41	(f) Any fee revenue that exceeds the amount necessary to
42	42	cover current operating expenses for environmental services and any
43	43	interest generated from that revenue may be used only for purposes
44	44	provided under Subsection (c).
45	45	(g) The fee is not considered in determining the maximum
46	46	amount of student services fees that an institution of higher
47	47	education may charge.
48	48	(h) The fee may not be charged after the fifth academic year
49	49	in which the fee is first charged unless, before the end of that
50	50	academic year, the institution has issued bonds payable from the
51	51	fee, in which event the fee may not be charged after the academic
52	52	year in which all such bonds, including refunding bonds for those
53	53	bonds, have been fully paid.
54	54	SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
55	55	to fees imposed for a semester or term that begins on or after the
56	56	effective date of this Act.
57	57	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
58	58	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
59	59	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
60	60	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
61	61	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
62	62	______________________________ ______________________________
63	63	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
64	64	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2182 passed the Senate on
65	65	May 6, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays 6.
66	66	______________________________
67	67	Secretary of the Senate
68	68	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2182 passed the House on
69	69	May 26, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 80, Nays 64, one
70	70	present not voting.
71	71	______________________________
72	72	Chief Clerk of the House
73	73	Approved:
74	74	______________________________
75	75	Date
76	76	______________________________
77	77	Governor