Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB449 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R2351 MM-D
2	2	By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 449
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 certain public institutions of higher
9	9	education.
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 55.1791, 55.1792, 55.1793, 55.1794,
13	13	55.1795, 55.1796, 55.1797, 55.1798, 55.1799, 55.17991, and
14	14	55.17992 to read as follows:
15	15	Sec. 55.1791. 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) Prairie View A&M University, $60 million for
26	26	construction of an engineering classroom and research building;
27	27	(2) Tarleton State University, $72 million for
28	28	construction of an agricultural and natural resources building;
29	29	(3) Texas A&M University:
30	30	(A) $65 million for construction of an
31	31	instructional laboratory and innovative learning facility; and
32	32	(B) $30 million for construction of a research
33	33	facility and nursing instruction center at the Higher Education
34	34	Center in McAllen, Texas;
35	35	(4) Texas A&M University--Central Texas, $25 million
36	36	for construction of a central utility plant;
37	37	(5) Texas A&M University--Commerce, $49.5 million for
38	38	construction of an agriculture multipurpose education and training
39	39	center;
40	40	(6) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, $58.5
41	41	million for construction of an arts and media building;
42	42	(7) Texas A&M University at Galveston, $40 million for
43	43	construction of an immersive scholarship and learning environment
44	44	building, a central plant, and campus infrastructure;
45	45	(8) Texas A&M International University, $60 million
46	46	for construction of a student classroom and events center;
47	47	(9) Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $60 million for
48	48	construction of a STEM and health professions workforce development
49	49	complex;
50	50	(10) Texas A&M University--San Antonio, $53 million
51	51	for construction of an academic and library building;
52	52	(11) Texas A&M University--Texarkana, $46 million for
53	53	construction of a business, engineering, and technology building;
54	54	(12) West Texas A&M University:
55	55	(A) $28.5 million for capital improvements to
56	56	address life and fire safety issues; and
57	57	(B) $20 million for renovation of the education
58	58	building; and
59	59	(13) The Texas A&M University System Health Science
60	60	Center, $100 million for a joint project with The University of
61	61	Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas
62	62	Health Science Center at Houston for construction of a biomedical
63	63	research facility.
64	64	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
65	65	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
66	66	an institution, branch, or entity of The Texas A&M University
67	67	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
68	68	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
69	69	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
70	70	bonds, are outstanding.
71	71	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
72	72	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
73	73	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The Texas A&M
74	74	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
75	75	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
76	76	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
77	77	Sec. 55.1792. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
78	78	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
79	79	subchapter, the board of regents of The University of Texas System
80	80	may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
81	81	equip property and facilities, including roads and related
82	82	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
83	83	bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
84	84	systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
85	85	following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
86	86	principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
87	87	(1) The University of Texas at Arlington:
88	88	(A) $76 million for construction of a social work
89	89	and college of nursing academic building; and
90	90	(B) $59 million for rehabilitation and
91	91	renovation of the life sciences building;
92	92	(2) The University of Texas at Austin, $135 million
93	93	for restoration of the J. T. Patterson Labs building;
94	94	(3) The University of Texas at Dallas:
95	95	(A) $60 million for a joint project with The
96	96	University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas for
97	97	construction of a translational biomedical engineering and science
98	98	building on The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at
99	99	Dallas campus; and
100	100	(B) $75 million for construction of a student
101	101	success center on The University of Texas at Dallas campus;
102	102	(4) The University of Texas at El Paso, $113 million
103	103	for construction of an advanced teaching and learning complex;
104	104	(5) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, $40
105	105	million for improvement and renovation of the Mesa building;
106	106	(6) The University of Texas--Rio Grande Valley, $70
107	107	million for construction of a health affairs building;
108	108	(7) The University of Texas at San Antonio,
109	109	$126,250,000 for construction of a college of business building at
110	110	the downtown campus;
111	111	(8) The University of Texas at Tyler, $50 million for
112	112	construction of a college of nursing and health science building;
113	113	(9) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
114	114	Houston, $100 million for a joint project with The Texas A&M
115	115	University System Health Science Center and The University of Texas
116	116	M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for construction of a biomedical
117	117	research facility;
118	118	(10) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
119	119	San Antonio, $82 million for construction of the Glenn Biggs
120	120	Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases building;
121	121	(11) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
122	122	Tyler, $18,521,432 for improvement and renovation of a biomedical
123	123	research building;
124	124	(12) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
125	125	Center, $100 million for a joint project with The Texas A&M
126	126	University System Health Science Center and The University of Texas
127	127	Health Science Center at Houston for construction of a biomedical
128	128	research facility;
129	129	(13) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
130	130	Galveston, $120 million for construction of an education and
131	131	clinical multiuse building; and
132	132	(14) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
133	133	Center at Dallas:
134	134	(A) $60 million for a joint project with The
135	135	University of Texas at Dallas for construction of a translational
136	136	biomedical engineering and science building on The University of
137	137	Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas campus; and
138	138	(B) $60 million for construction of the Peter
139	139	O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute research facility.
140	140	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
141	141	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
142	142	an institution, branch, or entity of The University of Texas
143	143	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
144	144	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
145	145	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
146	146	bonds, are outstanding.
147	147	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
148	148	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
149	149	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The University
150	150	of Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
151	151	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
152	152	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
153	153	Sec. 55.1793. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
154	154	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
155	155	subchapter, the board of regents of the University of Houston
156	156	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
157	157	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
158	158	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
159	159	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
160	160	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
161	161	the board for the following entity and institutions, not to exceed
162	162	the following aggregate principal amounts for the projects
163	163	specified, as follows:
164	164	(1) the University of Houston System, $50 million for
165	165	construction of an academic, administration, and student services
166	166	building on the Katy, Texas, campus;
167	167	(2) the University of Houston:
168	168	(A) $50 million for construction of a law center
169	169	building; and
170	170	(B) $35 million for construction of the Hobby
171	171	School for Public Affairs building;
172	172	(3) the University of Houston--Clear Lake, $56 million
173	173	for Phase II of the STEM and classroom building construction;
174	174	(4) the University of Houston--Downtown:
175	175	(A) $85 million for construction of an arts,
176	176	sciences, engineering, entrepreneurship, collaboration retention,
177	177	and academic engagement facility; and
178	178	(B) $15 million for repurposing the Student Life
179	179	Center as a student union building; and
180	180	(5) the University of Houston--Victoria, $60 million
181	181	for campus expansion.
182	182	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
183	183	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
184	184	an institution, branch, or entity of the University of Houston
185	185	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
186	186	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
187	187	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
188	188	bonds, are outstanding.
189	189	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
190	190	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
191	191	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
192	192	of Houston System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
193	193	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
194	194	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
195	195	Sec. 55.1794. TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
196	196	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
197	197	subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas State University
198	198	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
199	199	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
200	200	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
201	201	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
202	202	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
203	203	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
204	204	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
205	205	as follows:
206	206	(1) Lamar University, $45 million for construction of
207	207	a digital learning center;
208	208	(2) Lamar State College--Orange, $32 million for
209	209	construction of an academic building;
210	210	(3) Lamar State College--Port Arthur:
211	211	(A) $20 million for construction of an allied
212	212	health building; and
213	213	(B) $1,012,500 for construction of a workforce
214	214	training center;
215	215	(4) Lamar Institute of Technology:
216	216	(A) $20 million for construction of a workforce
217	217	training center; and
218	218	(B) $1,100,000 for construction of a
219	219	professional truck driving academy building;
220	220	(5) Sam Houston State University, $70 million for
221	221	construction of an allied health building;
222	222	(6) Sul Ross State University, $25.5 million for
223	223	expansion of the fine arts facility;
224	224	(7) Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College, $20
225	225	million for construction of an education center located in Eagle
226	226	Pass, Texas; and
227	227	(8) Texas State University:
228	228	(A) $90 million for construction of a STEM
229	229	classroom building located in San Marcos, Texas; and
230	230	(B) $45 million for construction of a health
231	231	professions building located in Round Rock, Texas.
232	232	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
233	233	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
234	234	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State University
235	235	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
236	236	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
237	237	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
238	238	bonds, are outstanding.
239	239	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
240	240	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
241	241	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
242	242	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
243	243	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
244	244	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
245	245	Sec. 55.1795. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
246	246	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
247	247	subchapter, the board of regents of the University of North Texas
248	248	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
249	249	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
250	250	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
251	251	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
252	252	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
253	253	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
254	254	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
255	255	as follows:
256	256	(1) the University of North Texas, $126 million for
257	257	construction of a science and technology research building;
258	258	(2) the University of North Texas at Dallas, $80
259	259	million for construction of a STEM building; and
260	260	(3) the University of North Texas Health Science
261	261	Center at Fort Worth, $115.5 million for construction of an
262	262	academic building.
263	263	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
264	264	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
265	265	an institution, branch, or entity of the University of North Texas
266	266	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
267	267	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
268	268	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
269	269	bonds, are outstanding.
270	270	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
271	271	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
272	272	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
273	273	of North Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
274	274	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
275	275	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
276	276	Sec. 55.1796. TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL BONDS.
277	277	(a) In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter,
278	278	the board of regents of Texas Woman's University may acquire,
279	279	purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property
280	280	and facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a
281	281	health sciences center, to be financed through the issuance of
282	282	bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the
283	283	aggregate principal amount of $100 million.
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	Texas Woman's University, including student tuition charges. The
287	287	amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
288	288	abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
289	289	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
290	290	Sec. 55.1797. MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL
291	291	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
292	292	subchapter, the board of regents of Midwestern State University may
293	293	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
294	294	property and facilities, including roads and related
295	295	infrastructure, for infrastructure upgrades, to be financed
296	296	through the issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter,
297	297	not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $10 million.
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	Midwestern State University, including student tuition charges.
301	301	The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced
302	302	or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
303	303	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
304	304	Sec. 55.1798. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY;
305	305	ADDITIONAL BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted
306	306	by this subchapter, the board of regents of Stephen F. Austin State
307	307	University may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
308	308	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
309	309	related infrastructure, for a natural resources science and
310	310	innovations laboratory, 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 $48 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	Stephen F. Austin State University, including student tuition
316	316	charges. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not
317	317	be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is
318	318	made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
319	319	Sec. 55.1799. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
320	320	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
321	321	subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas Tech University
322	322	System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
323	323	enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
324	324	related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
325	325	issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
326	326	accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
327	327	the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
328	328	following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
329	329	as follows:
330	330	(1) Angelo State University, $22.5 million for
331	331	construction of a college of arts and humanities building;
332	332	(2) Texas Tech University, $118,080,000 for
333	333	construction of a science and engineering complex;
334	334	(3) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center:
335	335	(A) $34,650,000 for expansion of the academic and
336	336	clinic building located in Amarillo, Texas; and
337	337	(B) $55 million for expansion of the Texas Tech
338	338	University Health Sciences building in Midland, Texas; and
339	339	(4) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El
340	340	Paso, $92,349,000 for construction of a dental school building.
341	341	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
342	342	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
343	343	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas Tech University
344	344	System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
345	345	made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
346	346	bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
347	347	bonds, are outstanding.
348	348	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
349	349	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
350	350	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas Tech
351	351	University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
352	352	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
353	353	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
354	354	Sec. 55.17991. TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL
355	355	BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
356	356	subchapter, the board of regents of Texas Southern University may
357	357	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
358	358	property and facilities, including roads and related
359	359	infrastructure, for deferred maintenance for campus facilities, to
360	360	be financed through the issuance of bonds in accordance with this
361	361	subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $50
362	362	million.
363	363	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
364	364	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
365	365	Texas Southern University, including student tuition charges. The
366	366	amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
367	367	abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
368	368	issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
369	369	Sec. 55.17992. TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM. (a)
370	370	In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the
371	371	board of regents of the Texas State Technical College System may
372	372	acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
373	373	property and facilities, including roads and related
374	374	infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
375	375	bonds in accordance with this subchapter for the following entity
376	376	and institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate principal
377	377	amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
378	378	(1) Texas State Technical College System, $16.5
379	379	million for Phase II of the industrial technology center located in
380	380	Williamson County;
381	381	(2) Texas State Technical College--Fort Bend,
382	382	$30,377,000 for Phase III of the campus construction;
383	383	(3) Texas State Technical College--Harlingen, $20
384	384	million for construction of an industrial technology center;
385	385	(4) Texas State Technical College--Marshall,
386	386	$8,572,000 for consolidation construction for a single campus;
387	387	(5) Texas State Technical College--North Texas,
388	388	$10,938,000 for Phase II of the new campus construction;
389	389	(6) Texas State Technical College--Waco, $20 million
390	390	for construction of a computer technology center; and
391	391	(7) Texas State Technical College--West Texas,
392	392	$28,177,000 for Phase II of the Abilene campus construction.
393	393	(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
394	394	authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
395	395	an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State Technical
396	396	College System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a
397	397	pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated
398	398	while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to
399	399	refund those bonds, are outstanding.
400	400	(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
401	401	meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
402	402	funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
403	403	Technical College System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
404	404	allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
405	405	entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
406	406	SECTION 2. This Act does not affect any authority or
407	407	restriction regarding the activities that a public institution of
408	408	higher education may conduct in connection with a facility financed
409	409	by bonds authorized by this Act.
410	410	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.