H.B. No. 1277
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. The ballot
proposition for such an election must clearly state the amount of
the proposed fee increase and describe the reason for the proposed
fee increase.
(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.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1277 was passed by the House on April
12, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 127, Nays 16, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 1277 on May 23, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 123, Nays 19,
3 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1277 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays
6.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor