Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB21 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 21
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to fund
7	7	capital projects at public institutions of higher education.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
10	10	amended by adding Sections 55.1781, 55.1782, 55.1783, 55.1784,
11	11	55.1785, 55.1786, 55.1787, 55.1788, 55.1789, 55.17891, and
12	12	55.17892 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 55.1781. THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
14	14	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
15	15	subchapter, the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System
16	16	may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
17	17	equip property and facilities, including roads and related
18	18	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
19	19	bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
20	20	systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
21	21	following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
22	22	principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
23	23	(1) Texas A&M University--Commerce:
24	24	(A) $54 million for a nursing and health sciences
25	25	building; and
26	26	(B) $54 million for a library and center for
27	27	educational innovation and faculty development;
28	28	(2) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi:
29	29	(A) $120 million for a life sciences research and
30	30	engineering building; and
31	31	(B) $50 million for an arts and media building;
32	32	(3) Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $93 million for
33	33	a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classroom
34	34	building;
35	35	(4) Texas A&M University--Texarkana, $40 million for
36	36	an academic and student service building;
37	37	(5) West Texas A&M University:
38	38	(A) $43 million for an agricultural sciences
39	39	complex; and
40	40	(B) $10 million for the Amarillo Center Phase II;
41	41	(6) The Texas A&M University System Health Science
42	42	Center:
43	43	(A) $80 million for a multidisciplinary research
44	44	and education facility in Bryan, Texas; and
45	45	(B) $80 million for the A&M Baylor College of
46	46	Dentistry facility in Dallas, Texas;
47	47	(7) Texas A&M International University:
48	48	(A) $62.1 million for library addition and
49	49	renovation; and
50	50	(B) $66 million for repurpose of kinesiology
51	51	building;
52	52	(8) Prairie View A&M University:
53	53	(A) $30,790,000 for a fabrication center and
54	54	capital improvements; and
55	55	(B) $10 million for the Innovation
56	56	Commercialization Center for Entrepreneurs facility;
57	57	(9) Tarleton State University:
58	58	(A) $55 million for the Southwest Metroplex
59	59	Building; and
60	60	(B) $75 million for an applied sciences building;
61	61	(10) Texas A&M University:
62	62	(A) $85 million for a biocontainment research
63	63	facility level 3; and
64	64	(B) $90 million for classroom building and
65	65	renewal;
66	66	(11) Texas A&M University at Galveston, $92 million
67	67	for expansion of instructional facilities, infrastructure and
68	68	central plant;
69	69	(12) Texas A&M University--Central Texas, $40 million
70	70	for multi-purpose building III; and
71	71	(13) Texas A&M University--San Antonio:
72	72	(A) $70 million for a science and technology
73	73	academic building; and
74	74	(B) $16.5 million for central plant.
75	75	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
76	76	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
77	77	an institution, branch, or entity of The Texas A&M University
78	78	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
79	79	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
80	80	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
81	81	bonds, are outstanding.
82	82	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
83	83	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
84	84	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The Texas A&M
85	85	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
86	86	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
87	87	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
88	88	Sec. 55.1782. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
89	89	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
90	90	subchapter, the board of regents of The University of Texas System
91	91	may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
92	92	equip property and facilities, including roads and related
93	93	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
94	94	bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
95	95	systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
96	96	following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
97	97	principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
98	98	(1) The University of Texas at Austin:
99	99	(A) $100 million for Welch Hall renovation; and
100	100	(B) $105 million for McCombs School of Business
101	101	renovation;
102	102	(2) The University of Texas--Rio Grande Valley:
103	103	(A) $50.6 million for a multipurpose academic
104	104	center;
105	105	(B) $45 million for coastal studies center
106	106	facility;
107	107	(C) $42.5 million for interdisciplinary
108	108	engineering and academic studies building;
109	109	(D) $50.4 million for fine arts and classroom
110	110	building; and
111	111	(E) $54.7 million for student success and
112	112	administrative building;
113	113	(3) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
114	114	Center, $109.8 million for vivarium and aging research
115	115	infrastructure reinvestment;
116	116	(4) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
117	117	San Antonio, $114 million for facilities renewal and modernization;
118	118	(5) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
119	119	Center, $70 million for a personalized cancer care building;
120	120	(6) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
121	121	Galveston, $67.8 million for a health education center;
122	122	(7) The University of Texas at Arlington:
123	123	(A) $190 million for science and engineering
124	124	innovation research building; and
125	125	(B) $99 million for college of nursing and allied
126	126	health professions academic and research building;
127	127	(8) The University of Texas at Dallas:
128	128	(A) $99 million for an engineering building; and
129	129	(B) $95 million for a science building;
130	130	(9) The University of Texas at El Paso:
131	131	(A) $117 million for an interdisciplinary
132	132	research facility; and
133	133	(B) $94.5 million for college of business
134	134	administration complex;
135	135	(10) The University of Texas at San Antonio:
136	136	(A) $95 million for instructional science and
137	137	engineering building; and
138	138	(B) $42.5 million for the Flawn Science Building
139	139	renovation;
140	140	(11) The University of Texas at Tyler, $76 million for
141	141	a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics building
142	142	expansion and renovation;
143	143	(12) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
144	144	Houston:
145	145	(A) $123.9 million for the renovation and
146	146	modernization of educational and research facilities; and
147	147	(B) $91 million for academic and research
148	148	building;
149	149	(13) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
150	150	Tyler, $15 million for facilities renewal and modernization; and
151	151	(14) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin:
152	152	(A) $60 million for a School of Engineering
153	153	building; and
154	154	(B) $6,250,600 for a kinesiology and athletic
155	155	training complex;
156	156	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
157	157	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
158	158	an institution, branch, or entity of The University of Texas
159	159	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
160	160	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
161	161	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
162	162	bonds, are outstanding.
163	163	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
164	164	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
165	165	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The University
166	166	of Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
167	167	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
168	168	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
169	169	Sec. 55.1783. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
170	170	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
171	171	subchapter, the board of regents of the University of Houston
172	172	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
173	173	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
174	174	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
175	175	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
176	176	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
177	177	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
178	178	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
179	179	as follows:
180	180	(1) the University of Houston:
181	181	(A) $165 million for health and biomedical
182	182	sciences center 2; and
183	183	(B) $91,350,000 for an academic building in Sugar
184	184	Land, Texas;
185	185	(2) the University of Houston--Clear Lake:
186	186	(A) $120 million for a science, technology,
187	187	engineering, and mathematics and classroom building; and
188	188	(B) $34.2 million for a health sciences and
189	189	classroom building;
190	190	(3) the University of Houston--Downtown, $108.7
191	191	million for a science and technology building; and
192	192	(4) the University of Houston--Victoria, $166 million
193	193	for academic campus expansion and land acquisition.
194	194	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
195	195	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
196	196	an institution, branch, or entity of the University of Houston
197	197	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
198	198	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
199	199	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
200	200	bonds, are outstanding.
201	201	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
202	202	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
203	203	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
204	204	of Houston System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
205	205	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
206	206	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
207	207	Sec. 55.1784. TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
208	208	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
209	209	subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas State University
210	210	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
211	211	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
212	212	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
213	213	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
214	214	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
215	215	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
216	216	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
217	217	as follows:
218	218	(1) Lamar University, $72 million for a science and
219	219	technology building;
220	220	(2) Lamar State College--Orange, $12.5 million for a
221	221	multipurpose education building;
222	222	(3) Lamar State College--Port Arthur, $9.6 million for
223	223	technology building expansion;
224	224	(4) Lamar Institute of Technology:
225	225	(A) $12.5 million for repair and renovation of
226	226	the technical arts buildings; and
227	227	(B) $12.1 million for a student services learning
228	228	support center;
229	229	(5) Texas State University:
230	230	(A) $67.5 million for a health professions
231	231	building in Round Rock, Texas; and
232	232	(B) $107 million for an engineering and science
233	233	building;
234	234	(6) Sam Houston State University, $60 million for a
235	235	biology laboratory building; and
236	236	(7) Sul Ross State University:
237	237	(A) $7.8 million for renovation and
238	238	modernization of educational facilities and infrastructure; and
239	239	(B) $8,452,000 for the Briscoe Administration
240	240	Building renovation.
241	241	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
242	242	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
243	243	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State University
244	244	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
245	245	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
246	246	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
247	247	bonds, are outstanding.
248	248	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
249	249	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
250	250	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
251	251	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
252	252	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
253	253	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
254	254	Sec. 55.1785. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
255	255	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
256	256	subchapter, the board of regents of the University of North Texas
257	257	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
258	258	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
259	259	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
260	260	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
261	261	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
262	262	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
263	263	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
264	264	as follows:
265	265	(1) the University of North Texas System, $56 million
266	266	for College of Law building renovations;
267	267	(2) the University of North Texas:
268	268	(A) $82.8 million for a college of visual arts
269	269	and design facility; and
270	270	(B) $88.2 million for a science and technology
271	271	research building;
272	272	(3) the University of North Texas at Dallas, $70
273	273	million for a student learning and success center; and
274	274	(4) the University of North Texas Health Science
275	275	Center at Fort Worth, $96.8 million for an interdisciplinary
276	276	research building.
277	277	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
278	278	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
279	279	an institution, branch, or entity of the University of North Texas
280	280	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
281	281	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
282	282	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
283	283	bonds, are outstanding.
284	284	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
285	285	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
286	286	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
287	287	of North Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
288	288	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
289	289	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
290	290	Sec. 55.1786. TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY. (a) In addition
291	291	to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the board of
292	292	regents of Texas Woman's University may acquire, purchase,
293	293	construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property and
294	294	facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for an
295	295	experiential learning and training building, to be financed through
296	296	the issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to
297	297	exceed the aggregate principal amount of $37,997,000.
298	298	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
299	299	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
300	300	Texas Woman's University, including student tuition charges. The
301	301	amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
302	302	abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
303	303	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
304	304	Sec. 55.1787. MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL
305	305	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
306	306	subchapter, the board of regents of Midwestern State University may
307	307	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
308	308	property and facilities, including roads and related
309	309	infrastructure, for academic expansion and revitalization at
310	310	Midwestern State University, to be financed through the issuance of
311	311	bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the
312	312	aggregate principal amount of $73 million.
313	313	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
314	314	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
315	315	Midwestern State University, including student tuition charges.
316	316	The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced
317	317	or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
318	318	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
319	319	Sec. 55.1788. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY. (a) In
320	320	addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the
321	321	board of regents of Stephen F. Austin State University may acquire,
322	322	purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property
323	323	and facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a
324	324	science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research
325	325	building at Stephen F. Austin State University, to be financed
326	326	through the issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter,
327	327	not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $58 million.
328	328	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
329	329	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
330	330	Stephen F. Austin State University, including student tuition
331	331	charges. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not
332	332	be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is
333	333	made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
334	334	Sec. 55.1789. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
335	335	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
336	336	subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas Tech University
337	337	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
338	338	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
339	339	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
340	340	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
341	341	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
342	342	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
343	343	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
344	344	as follows:
345	345	(1) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center:
346	346	(A) $75,330,000 for Lubbock education, research,
347	347	and technology facilities;
348	348	(B) $17,820,000 for the Permian Basin academic
349	349	facility in Odessa, Texas; and
350	350	(C) $6,350,000 for the Amarillo Panhandle
351	351	clinical/hospital simulation center in Amarillo, Texas;
352	352	(2) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El
353	353	Paso:
354	354	(A) $84,960,000 for the El Paso Medical Science
355	355	Building II; and
356	356	(B) $30,960,000 for the El Paso Clinical Science
357	357	Building;
358	358	(3) Texas Tech University:
359	359	(A) $87,930,000 for Experimental Science
360	360	Building II; and
361	361	(B) $60,840,000 for College of Engineering
362	362	expansion and renovation; and
363	363	(4) Angelo State University, $24,030,000 for a College
364	364	of Health and Human Services building.
365	365	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
366	366	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
367	367	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas Tech University
368	368	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
369	369	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
370	370	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
371	371	bonds, are outstanding.
372	372	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
373	373	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
374	374	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas Tech
375	375	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
376	376	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
377	377	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
378	378	Sec. 55.17891. TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL
379	379	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
380	380	subchapter, the board of regents of Texas Southern University may
381	381	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
382	382	property and facilities, including roads and related
383	383	infrastructure, for the Robert J. Terry Library at Texas Southern
384	384	University, to be financed through the issuance of bonds in
385	385	accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate
386	386	principal amount of $70,250,000.
387	387	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
388	388	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
389	389	Texas Southern University, including student tuition charges. The
390	390	amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
391	391	abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
392	392	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
393	393	Sec. 55.17892. TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM.
394	394	(a) In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter,
395	395	the board of regents of the Texas State Technical College System may
396	396	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
397	397	property and facilities, including roads and related
398	398	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
399	399	bonds in accordance with this subchapter for the following
400	400	institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate principal
401	401	amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
402	402	(1) Texas State Technical College--Harlingen,
403	403	$3,750,000 for engineering center expansion and renovation;
404	404	(2) Texas State Technical College--Marshall, $13.8
405	405	million for the North Texas technology building;
406	406	(3) Texas State Technical College--Waco, $14,950,000
407	407	for Fort Bend Technical Center Building Two; and
408	408	(4) Texas State Technical College--West Texas, $12
409	409	million for the Abilene Industrial Technology Center.
410	410	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of those
411	411	bonds all or any part of the revenue funds of an institution,
412	412	branch, or entity of the Texas State Technical College System,
413	413	including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge made
414	414	under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
415	415	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
416	416	bonds, are outstanding.
417	417	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
418	418	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
419	419	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
420	420	Technical College System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
421	421	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
422	422	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
423	423	SECTION 2. This Act does not affect any authority or
424	424	restriction regarding the activities that a public institution of
425	425	higher education may conduct in connection with a facility financed
426	426	by bonds authorized by this Act.
427	427	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
428	428	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
429	429	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
430	430	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
431	431	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.