By: Burrows H.J.R. No. 114
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment to divert any net income
attributable to newly discovered oil and gas or other mineral
interests on permanent university fund land from the permanent
university fund to fund capital projects at certain public
univer
sities and agencies of higher education that are currently
ineligible for distributions from the permanent university fund.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article VII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 15-a to read as follows:
Sec. 15-a. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
constitution, any net income, including royalties, attributable to
oil and gas or other mineral interests discovered on or after
January 1, 2015, on permanent university fund land shall be
deposited to the credit of the state treasury and may be used only
for distribution to eligible public universities and agencies of
higher education under Section 17(a) in accordance with that
section.
SECTION 2. Section 17(a), Article VII, Texas Constitution,
is amended to read as follows:
(a) In the fiscal year beginning September 1, 1985, and each
fiscal year thereafter, there is hereby appropriated out of funds
deposited to the state treasury under Section 15-a, and out of the
first money coming into the state treasury not otherwise
appropriated by the constitution, a total of $100 million to be used
by eligible agencies and institutions of higher education for the
purpose of acquiring land either with or without permanent
improvements, constructing and equipping buildings or other
permanent improvements, major repair or rehabilitation of
buildings or other permanent improvements, acquisition of capital
equipment, library books and library materials, and paying for
acquiring, constructing, or equipping or for major repair or
rehabilitation of buildings, facilities, other permanent
improvements, or capital equipment used jointly for educational and
general activities and for auxiliary enterprises to the extent of
their use for educational and general activities. For the
five-year period that begins on September 1, 2000, and for each
five-year period that begins after that period, the legislature,
during a regular session that is nearest, but preceding, a
five-year period, may by two-thirds vote of the membership of each
house increase the amount of the constitutional appropriation for
the five-year period but may not adjust the appropriation in such a
way as to impair any obligation created by the issuance of bonds or
notes in accordance with this section.
SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2017.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment to divert any net
income attributable to newly discovered oil and gas or other
mineral interests on permanent university fund land from the
permanent university fund to fund capital projects at certain
public universities and agencies of higher education that are
currently ineligible for distributions from the permanent
university fund."