Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1277 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/01/2019

                    86R1085 MM-D
 By: Perez H.B. No. 1277


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to authorizing a wellness and success center fee at the
 University of Houston-Downtown.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
 amended by adding Section 54.5402 to read as follows:
 Sec. 54.5402.  WELLNESS AND SUCCESS CENTER FEE; UNIVERSITY
 OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN. (a) The board of regents of the University of
 Houston System may charge each student enrolled at the University
 of Houston-Downtown a wellness and success center fee. The fee may
 be used only for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating,
 maintaining, improving, and equipping a wellness and success center
 and for operating student wellness programs at the University of
 Houston-Downtown.
 (b)  The wellness and success center fee may not be charged
 unless the charging of the fee is approved by a majority vote of the
 students enrolled at the university participating in a general
 student election held for that purpose.
 (c)  The amount of a fee charged under this section may not
 exceed:
 (1)  $150 per student for each regular semester;
 (2)  $75 per student for each summer session of eight
 weeks or longer; or
 (3)  $50 per student for each term of the summer session
 of less than eight weeks.
 (d)  Revenue from a fee charged under this section shall be
 deposited to the credit of an account known as the University of
 Houston-Downtown Wellness and Success Center Fee Account.
 (e)  The board of regents may increase the amount of a fee
 charged under this section, except that the board may not increase
 the amount of the fee to an amount that exceeds by more than 10
 percent the amount of the fee charged during the preceding academic
 year unless the amount of the increase is approved by a majority
 vote of students enrolled at the university participating in a
 general student election held for that purpose.
 (f)  The wellness and success center fee is not considered in
 determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be
 charged under Section 54.503.
 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, 2019.