Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB812 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R5589 JSL-D
2	2	By: Lozano H.B. No. 812
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to fund
8	8	capital projects at public institutions of higher education; making
9	9	an appropriation.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Sections 55.1781, 55.1782, 55.1783, 55.1784,
13	13	55.1785, 55.1786, 55.1787, 55.1788, 55.1789, 55.17891, and
14	14	55.17892 to read as follows:
15	15	Sec. 55.1781. THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
16	16	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
17	17	subchapter, the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System
18	18	may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
19	19	equip property and facilities, including roads and related
20	20	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
21	21	bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
22	22	systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
23	23	following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
24	24	principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
25	25	(1) Texas A&M University--Commerce, $40,500,000 for
26	26	construction of a nursing and health sciences building;
27	27	(2) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, $67,500,000
28	28	for construction of a life sciences research and engineering
29	29	building;
30	30	(3) Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $93 million for
31	31	a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classroom
32	32	building;
33	33	(4) Texas A&M University--Texarkana, $30,000,000 for
34	34	construction of an academic and student services building;
35	35	(5) West Texas A&M University:
36	36	(A) $7,500,000 for renovation of the Amarillo
37	37	Center; and
38	38	(B) $32,250,000 for construction of an
39	39	agricultural sciences complex;
40	40	(6) The Texas A&M University System Health Science
41	41	Center:
42	42	(A) $60,000,000 for construction of a
43	43	multidisciplinary research and education facility in Bryan, Texas;
44	44	and
45	45	(B) $67,500,000 for construction of a dental
46	46	clinic facility at the Baylor College of Dentistry;
47	47	(7) Texas A&M International University, $41,698,125
48	48	for construction of an academic and laboratory building;
49	49	(8) Prairie View A&M University, $11,250,000 for
50	50	construction of a fabrication center;
51	51	(9) Tarleton State University:
52	52	(A) $56,250,000 for construction of an applied
53	53	sciences building; and
54	54	(B) $41,250,000 for construction of a southwest
55	55	metroplex building for the campus in Midlothian;
56	56	(10) Texas A&M University, $63,750,000 for
57	57	construction of a biocontainment research facility;
58	58	(11) Texas A&M University at Galveston, $62,250,000
59	59	for expansion of an instructional and teaching laboratory;
60	60	(12) Texas A&M University--Central Texas, $30,000,000
61	61	for construction of a multipurpose building; and
62	62	(13) Texas A&M University--San Antonio, $52,500,000
63	63	for construction of a science and technology building and
64	64	infrastructure for campus development.
65	65	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
66	66	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
67	67	an institution, branch, or entity of The Texas A&M University
68	68	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
69	69	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
70	70	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
71	71	bonds, are outstanding.
72	72	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
73	73	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
74	74	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The Texas A&M
75	75	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
76	76	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
77	77	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
78	78	Sec. 55.1782. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
79	79	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
80	80	subchapter, the board of regents of The University of Texas System
81	81	may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
82	82	equip property and facilities, including roads and related
83	83	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
84	84	bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
85	85	systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
86	86	following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
87	87	principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
88	88	(1) The University of Texas at Austin, $67,500,000 for
89	89	renovation of Robert A. Welch Hall;
90	90	(2) The University of Texas--Rio Grande Valley:
91	91	(A) $37,950,000 for construction of a
92	92	multipurpose academic center at the campus in Brownsville; and
93	93	(B) $31,875,000 for construction of an
94	94	interdisciplinary engineering and academic studies building at the
95	95	campus in Edinburg;
96	96	(3) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
97	97	Center at Dallas, $67,500,000 for the construction and renovation
98	98	of a vivarium and academic and laboratory facilities;
99	99	(4) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
100	100	San Antonio, $67,500,000 for the renovation of a medical and dental
101	101	education building and the School of Nursing;
102	102	(5) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
103	103	Center, $52,500,000 for construction of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan
104	104	Al Nahyan building;
105	105	(6) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
106	106	Galveston, $50,850,000 for construction of a health education
107	107	center;
108	108	(7) The University of Texas at Arlington, $67,500,000
109	109	for construction of a science and engineering innovation and
110	110	research building;
111	111	(8) The University of Texas at Dallas, $67,500,000 for
112	112	construction of an engineering building;
113	113	(9) The University of Texas at El Paso, $67,500,000
114	114	for construction of an interdisciplinary research facility;
115	115	(10) The University of Texas at San Antonio,
116	116	$67,500,000 for construction of an instructional science and
117	117	engineering building;
118	118	(11) The University of Texas at Tyler, $57,000,000 for
119	119	construction of a STEM building;
120	120	(12) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
121	121	Houston, $67,500,000 for the renovation and modernization of a
122	122	medical school building, the School of Public Health, and
123	123	University Center Tower;
124	124	(13) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
125	125	Tyler, $11,250,000 for the renovation of a facility for physician
126	126	residents training; and
127	127	(14) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin,
128	128	$45,000,000 for construction of an engineering building.
129	129	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
130	130	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
131	131	an institution, branch, or entity of The University of Texas
132	132	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
133	133	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
134	134	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
135	135	bonds, are outstanding.
136	136	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
137	137	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
138	138	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The University
139	139	of Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
140	140	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
141	141	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
142	142	Sec. 55.1783. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
143	143	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
144	144	subchapter, the board of regents of the University of Houston
145	145	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
146	146	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
147	147	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
148	148	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
149	149	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
150	150	the board for the following institutions or entities, not to exceed
151	151	the following aggregate principal amounts for the projects
152	152	specified, as follows:
153	153	(1) the University of Houston:
154	154	(A) $90,000,000 for construction of a health and
155	155	biomedical sciences center; and
156	156	(B) $45,000,000 for construction of a new
157	157	academic building located in Sugar Land, Texas;
158	158	(2) the University of Houston--Clear Lake:
159	159	(A) $17,100,000 for construction of a health
160	160	sciences and classroom building located in Pearland, Texas; and
161	161	(B) $76,050,000 for construction of a STEM and
162	162	classroom building;
163	163	(3) the University of Houston--Downtown, $67,500,000
164	164	for construction of a science and technology building;
165	165	(4) the University of Houston--Victoria, $64,065,000
166	166	for construction of a science, technology, and classroom building;
167	167	and
168	168	(5) the University of Houston System, $27,405,000 for
169	169	construction of a Cinco Ranch building located in the area near
170	170	Katy, Texas.
171	171	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
172	172	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
173	173	an institution, branch, or entity of the University of Houston
174	174	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
175	175	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
176	176	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
177	177	bonds, are outstanding.
178	178	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
179	179	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
180	180	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
181	181	of Houston System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
182	182	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
183	183	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
184	184	Sec. 55.1784. TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
185	185	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
186	186	subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas State University
187	187	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
188	188	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
189	189	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
190	190	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
191	191	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
192	192	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
193	193	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
194	194	as follows:
195	195	(1) Lamar University, $54,000,000 for construction of
196	196	a science and technology building;
197	197	(2) Lamar State College--Orange, $9,375,000 for
198	198	construction of a multipurpose education building;
199	199	(3) Lamar State College--Port Arthur, $7,200,000 for
200	200	expansion of technology program facilities;
201	201	(4) Lamar Institute of Technology, $6,480,000 for
202	202	renovation of the technical arts buildings;
203	203	(5) Texas State University:
204	204	(A) $67,500,000 for construction of an
205	205	engineering and sciences building; and
206	206	(B) $50,625,000 for construction of a health
207	207	professions building in Round Rock, Texas;
208	208	(6) Sam Houston State University, $45,000,000 for
209	209	construction of a biology laboratory building; and
210	210	(7) Sul Ross State University, $5,850,000 for
211	211	renovation and modernization of educational and related facilities
212	212	and infrastructure.
213	213	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
214	214	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
215	215	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State University
216	216	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
217	217	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
218	218	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
219	219	bonds, are outstanding.
220	220	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
221	221	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
222	222	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
223	223	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
224	224	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
225	225	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
226	226	Sec. 55.1785. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
227	227	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
228	228	subchapter, the board of regents of the University of North Texas
229	229	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
230	230	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
231	231	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
232	232	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
233	233	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
234	234	the board for the following institutions or entities, not to exceed
235	235	the following aggregate principal amounts for the projects
236	236	specified, as follows:
237	237	(1) the University of North Texas System, $42,000,000
238	238	for renovation of college of law buildings;
239	239	(2) the University of North Texas, $62,100,000 for
240	240	construction and renovation of college of visual arts and design
241	241	facilities;
242	242	(3) the University of North Texas at Dallas,
243	243	$52,500,000 for construction of a student learning and success
244	244	center; and
245	245	(4) the University of North Texas Health Science
246	246	Center at Fort Worth, $67,500,000 for construction of an
247	247	interdisciplinary research building.
248	248	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
249	249	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
250	250	an institution, branch, or entity of the University of North Texas
251	251	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
252	252	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
253	253	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
254	254	bonds, are outstanding.
255	255	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
256	256	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
257	257	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
258	258	of North Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
259	259	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
260	260	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
261	261	Sec. 55.1786. TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY. (a) In addition to
262	262	the other authority granted by this subchapter, the board of
263	263	regents of Texas Woman's University may acquire, purchase,
264	264	construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property and
265	265	facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a
266	266	science and technology learning center, to be financed through the
267	267	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed
268	268	the aggregate principal amount of $32,297,450.
269	269	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
270	270	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
271	271	Texas Woman's University, including student tuition charges. The
272	272	amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
273	273	abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
274	274	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
275	275	Sec. 55.1787. MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL
276	276	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
277	277	subchapter, the board of regents of Midwestern State University may
278	278	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
279	279	property and facilities, including roads and related
280	280	infrastructure, for the Gunn College of Health Science and Human
281	281	Services, to be financed through the issuance of bonds in
282	282	accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate
283	283	principal amount of $51,850,000.
284	284	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
285	285	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
286	286	Midwestern State University, including student tuition charges.
287	287	The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced
288	288	or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
289	289	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
290	290	Sec. 55.1788. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY. (a) In
291	291	addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the
292	292	board of regents of Stephen F. Austin State University may acquire,
293	293	purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property
294	294	and facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a
295	295	science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research
296	296	building at Stephen F. Austin State University, to be financed
297	297	through the issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter,
298	298	not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $49,300,000.
299	299	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
300	300	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
301	301	Stephen F. Austin State University, including student tuition
302	302	charges. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not
303	303	be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is
304	304	made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
305	305	Sec. 55.1789. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
306	306	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
307	307	subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas Tech University
308	308	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
309	309	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
310	310	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
311	311	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
312	312	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
313	313	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
314	314	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
315	315	as follows:
316	316	(1) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center:
317	317	(A) $56,497,500 for renovation and expansion of
318	318	Lubbock education, research, and technology facilities;
319	319	(B) $13,365,000 for construction of the Permian
320	320	Basin academic facility; and
321	321	(C) $4,762,500 for construction of the Amarillo
322	322	Panhandle Clinical/Hospital Simulation;
323	323	(2) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El
324	324	Paso, $63,720,000 for construction of the El Paso Medical Science
325	325	Building II;
326	326	(3) Texas Tech University, $65,947,500 for
327	327	construction of an experimental sciences building; and
328	328	(4) Angelo State University, $18,022,500 for
329	329	construction of a College of Health and Human Services building.
330	330	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
331	331	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
332	332	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas Tech University
333	333	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
334	334	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
335	335	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
336	336	bonds, are outstanding.
337	337	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
338	338	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
339	339	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas Tech
340	340	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
341	341	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
342	342	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
343	343	Sec. 55.17891. TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL
344	344	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
345	345	subchapter, the board of regents of Texas Southern University may
346	346	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
347	347	property and facilities, including roads and related
348	348	infrastructure, for the Robert J. Terry Library at Texas Southern
349	349	University, to be financed through the issuance of bonds in
350	350	accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate
351	351	principal amount of $59,710,680.
352	352	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
353	353	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
354	354	Texas Southern University, including student tuition charges. The
355	355	amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
356	356	abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
357	357	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
358	358	Sec. 55.17892. TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM. (a) In
359	359	addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the
360	360	board of regents of the Texas State Technical College System may
361	361	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
362	362	property and facilities, including roads and related
363	363	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
364	364	bonds in accordance with this subchapter for the following
365	365	institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate principal
366	366	amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
367	367	(1) Texas State Technical College--West Texas,
368	368	$9,967,270 for construction of an industrial technology center;
369	369	(2) Texas State Technical College--Harlingen,
370	370	$3,114,772 for Phase II of the Engineering Technology Center
371	371	renovation;
372	372	(3) Texas State Technical College--Marshall,
373	373	$7,875,400 for construction of a North Texas technology building;
374	374	and
375	375	(4) Texas State Technical College--Waco, $12,417,558
376	376	for construction of the Fort Bend Technical Center.
377	377	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of those
378	378	bonds all or any part of the revenue funds of an institution,
379	379	branch, or entity of the Texas State Technical College System,
380	380	including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge made
381	381	under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
382	382	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
383	383	bonds, are outstanding.
384	384	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
385	385	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
386	386	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
387	387	Technical College System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
388	388	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
389	389	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
390	390	SECTION 2. This Act does not affect any authority or
391	391	restriction regarding the activities that a public institution of
392	392	higher education may conduct in connection with a facility financed
393	393	by bonds authorized by this Act.
394	394	SECTION 3. (a) The amount of $2.89 billion is appropriated
395	395	out of the economic stabilization fund to the comptroller of public
396	396	accounts for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2017, for
397	397	distribution to institutions of higher education and university
398	398	systems for debt service on revenue bonds authorized by this Act.
399	399	This subsection takes effect only if this Act receives a vote of
400	400	two-thirds of the members present in each house of the legislature,
401	401	as provided by Section 49-g(m), Article III, Texas Constitution.
402	402	If this Act does not receive a vote of two-thirds of the members
403	403	present in each house of the legislature, this subsection does not
404	404	take effect.
405	405	(b) This subsection takes effect only if Subsection (a) of
406	406	this section does not take effect. The amount of $2.89 billion is
407	407	appropriated out of the general revenue fund to the comptroller of
408	408	public accounts for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31,
409	409	2017, for distribution to institutions of higher education and
410	410	university systems for debt service on revenue bonds authorized by
411	411	this Act.
412	412	(c) The comptroller shall distribute a portion of the amount
413	413	appropriated by Subsection (a) or (b) of this section, as
414	414	applicable, to each institution of higher education or university
415	415	system, as applicable, in accordance with calculations made by the
416	416	Legislative Budget Board of each institution's or system's
417	417	proportionate share of the amount appropriated based on the amount
418	418	of revenue bonds authorized by this Act for each institution or
419	419	system.
420	420	(d) The Legislative Budget Board shall make the initial
421	421	calculations under this section and notify the comptroller and the
422	422	applicable institutions of higher education and university systems
423	423	of the respective shares to be distributed under this section as
424	424	soon as practicable. The Legislative Budget Board may make
425	425	adjustments to those calculations and provide a final determination
426	426	of those shares.
427	427	SECTION 4. Except as provided by Sections 3(a) and (b) of
428	428	this Act, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.