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Texas House Bill HB159

Texas 2021 - 87th 3rd C.S.

Texas House Bill HB159 Compare Versions

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11 87S30814 MM-F
22 By: Burns H.B. No. 159
33
44
55 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
66 AN ACT
77 relating to the issuance of revenue bonds to fund capital projects
88 at public institutions of higher education and the designation of
99 certain appropriated funds allocated to those institutions.
1010 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1111 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
1212 amended by adding Section 55.111 to read as follows:
1313 Sec. 55.111. CERTAIN ALLOCATED FUNDS TO BE DESIGNATED AS
1414 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DEBT ASSISTANCE. For purposes of this
1515 subchapter, funds allocated from the appropriation of general
1616 revenue to an institution of higher education to supplement revenue
1717 funds of the institution described by Section 55.13(a) may be
1818 designated as "Capital Improvement Debt Assistance."
1919 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
2020 amended by adding Sections 55.1791, 55.1792, 55.1793, 55.1794,
2121 55.1795, 55.1796, 55.1797, 55.1798, 55.1799, and 55.17991 to read
2222 as follows:
2323 Sec. 55.1791. THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
2424 BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
2525 subchapter, the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System
2626 may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
2727 equip property and facilities, including roads and related
2828 infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
2929 bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
3030 systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
3131 following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
3232 principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
3333 (1) The Texas A&M University System, $58 million for
3434 construction of a STEM education center at the RELLIS campus;
3535 (2) Prairie View A&M University, $60 million for
3636 construction of a teaching and academic student support services
3737 facility;
3838 (3) Tarleton State University:
3939 (A) $60 million for construction of a College of
4040 Health Sciences and Human Services building on the Stephenville
4141 campus; and
4242 (B) $60 million for Fort Worth campus expansion;
4343 (4) Texas A&M University, $75 million for construction
4444 of a clinical veterinary teaching and research complex;
4545 (5) Texas A&M University--Commerce, $60 million for
4646 construction of an agricultural education and research complex;
4747 (6) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, $60 million
4848 for construction of an arts and media building;
4949 (7) Texas A&M University at Galveston, $45 million for
5050 construction of an engineering classroom and research building;
5151 (8) Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $60 million for
5252 renovations to address deferred maintenance for campus buildings;
5353 (9) Texas A&M University--Central Texas, $50 million
5454 for construction of a central utility plant and infrastructure
5555 upgrades;
5656 (10) West Texas A&M University, $60 million for
5757 infrastructure upgrades to address health and safety issues and the
5858 renovation of an education building;
5959 (11) Texas A&M University--San Antonio, $60 million
6060 for construction of a public health and education building;
6161 (12) Texas A&M International University, $60 million
6262 for construction of a health science education and research center;
6363 (13) Texas A&M University--Texarkana, $46 million for
6464 construction of a business, engineering, and technology building;
6565 and
6666 (14) The Texas A&M University System Health Science
6767 Center:
6868 (A) $80 million for construction of the Texas
6969 Medical Center Building 3 in Houston, Texas; and
7070 (B) $40 million for construction of a nursing
7171 education and research center in McAllen, Texas.
7272 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
7373 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
7474 an institution, branch, or entity of The Texas A&M University
7575 System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
7676 made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
7777 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
7878 bonds, are outstanding.
7979 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
8080 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
8181 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The Texas A&M
8282 University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
8383 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
8484 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
8585 Sec. 55.1792. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
8686 BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
8787 subchapter, the board of regents of The University of Texas System
8888 may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or
8989 equip property and facilities, including roads and related
9090 infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
9191 bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a
9292 systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the
9393 following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate
9494 principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
9595 (1) The University of Texas System, $75 million for
9696 renovation of the Microelectronics Research Center at the
9797 J. J. Pickle Research Campus;
9898 (2) The University of Texas at Arlington, $70 million
9999 for renovation of the Life Science building;
100100 (3) The University of Texas at Austin, $75 million for
101101 renovation of the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building;
102102 (4) The University of Texas at Dallas, $70 million for
103103 construction of a student success center;
104104 (5) The University of Texas at El Paso, $70 million for
105105 construction of an advanced teaching and learning complex;
106106 (6) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, $60
107107 million for renovation of the Mesa Building and campus
108108 transformation;
109109 (7) The University of Texas--Rio Grande Valley, $60
110110 million for construction of a health affairs building;
111111 (8) The University of Texas at San Antonio, $70
112112 million for construction of an Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and
113113 Careers building;
114114 (9) The University of Texas at Tyler, $60 million for
115115 construction of a sciences building;
116116 (10) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
117117 Houston, $80 million for construction of a public health education
118118 and research building;
119119 (11) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
120120 San Antonio, $80 million for construction of the Glenn Biggs
121121 Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases Building;
122122 (12) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
123123 Tyler, $69,972,826 for construction of a health professions
124124 education center;
125125 (13) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
126126 Center, $80 million for construction of a life sciences research,
127127 innovation, and discovery initiative facility;
128128 (14) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
129129 Galveston, $80 million for infrastructure and research space
130130 upgrades for research buildings; and
131131 (15) UT Southwestern Medical Center, $80 million for
132132 construction of the north campus Phase VI Brain Institute shell
133133 space.
134134 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
135135 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
136136 an institution, branch, or entity of The University of Texas
137137 System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
138138 made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
139139 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
140140 bonds, are outstanding.
141141 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
142142 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
143143 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The University
144144 of Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
145145 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
146146 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
147147 Sec. 55.1793. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
148148 BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
149149 subchapter, the board of regents of the University of Houston
150150 System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
151151 enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
152152 related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
153153 issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
154154 accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
155155 the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
156156 following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
157157 as follows:
158158 (1) the University of Houston System:
159159 (A) $70 million for construction of the Katy
160160 Academic Building 2; and
161161 (B) $80 million for construction of a medical
162162 research facility;
163163 (2) the University of Houston:
164164 (A) $39,513,206 for construction of the Hobby
165165 School of Public Affairs Building; and
166166 (B) $70 million for construction of the Sugar
167167 Land Academic Building 2;
168168 (3) the University of Houston--Clear Lake, $60 million
169169 for renovation of the Bayou Building, the Delta Building, and the
170170 Student Services and Classroom Building;
171171 (4) the University of Houston--Downtown, $60 million
172172 for renovation of existing buildings and other campus
173173 infrastructure upgrades and for the construction of the Police
174174 Department and Criminal Justice Academy Building; and
175175 (5) the University of Houston--Victoria, $60 million
176176 for construction of a health science building and an engineering
177177 facility.
178178 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
179179 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
180180 an institution, branch, or entity of the University of Houston
181181 System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
182182 made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
183183 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
184184 bonds, are outstanding.
185185 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
186186 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
187187 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
188188 of Houston System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
189189 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
190190 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
191191 Sec. 55.1794. TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
192192 BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
193193 subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas State University
194194 System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
195195 enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
196196 related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
197197 issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
198198 accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
199199 the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
200200 following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
201201 as follows:
202202 (1) Texas State University System, $15 million for
203203 construction of a field research station and dam repair;
204204 (2) Lamar State College--Orange, $42 million for the
205205 replacement of an academic building to house general academic
206206 instruction and information technology services;
207207 (3) Lamar State College--Port Arthur, $50 million for
208208 construction of an allied health and sciences building;
209209 (4) Lamar Institute of Technology, $48 million for
210210 construction of a facility for workforce and allied health
211211 programs;
212212 (5) Lamar University, $60 million for renovation of a
213213 library;
214214 (6) Sul Ross State University, $35,250,000 for
215215 renovation of fine arts facilities;
216216 (7) Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College,
217217 $44,235,000 for construction of a multipurpose education and
218218 services building;
219219 (8) Sam Houston State University:
220220 (A) $60 million for construction of an allied
221221 health building located in Conroe, Texas; and
222222 (B) $60 million for construction of an active
223223 learning center located in Huntsville, Texas; and
224224 (9) Texas State University:
225225 (A) $70 million for construction of a STEM
226226 classroom building located in San Marcos, Texas; and
227227 (B) $70 million for construction of a health
228228 professions building located in Round Rock, Texas.
229229 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
230230 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
231231 an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State University
232232 System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
233233 made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
234234 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
235235 bonds, are outstanding.
236236 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
237237 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
238238 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
239239 University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
240240 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
241241 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
242242 Sec. 55.1795. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
243243 BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
244244 subchapter, the board of regents of the University of North Texas
245245 System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
246246 enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
247247 related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
248248 issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
249249 accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
250250 the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
251251 following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
252252 as follows:
253253 (1) the University of North Texas:
254254 (A) $70 million for construction of a science and
255255 technology research building; and
256256 (B) $70 million for construction of a commerce,
257257 analytics, technology, and engineering building in Frisco, Texas;
258258 (2) the University of North Texas at Dallas, $60
259259 million for construction of a science building; and
260260 (3) the University of North Texas Health Science
261261 Center at Fort Worth, $80 million for campus space optimization and
262262 realignment.
263263 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
264264 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
265265 an institution, branch, or entity of the University of North Texas
266266 System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
267267 made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
268268 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
269269 bonds, are outstanding.
270270 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
271271 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
272272 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University
273273 of North Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
274274 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
275275 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
276276 Sec. 55.1796. TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL BONDS.
277277 (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter,
278278 the board of regents of Texas Woman's University may acquire,
279279 purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property
280280 and facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a
281281 health sciences center, to be financed through the issuance of
282282 bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the
283283 aggregate principal amount of $60 million.
284284 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
285285 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
286286 Texas Woman's University, including student tuition charges. The
287287 amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
288288 abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
289289 issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
290290 Sec. 55.1797. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY;
291291 ADDITIONAL BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted
292292 by this subchapter, the board of regents of Stephen F. Austin State
293293 University may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
294294 enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
295295 related infrastructure, for demolition of the Miller Science
296296 Building, renovation of the Forestry Building, and construction of
297297 a new addition, to be financed through the issuance of bonds in
298298 accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate
299299 principal amount of $53 million.
300300 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
301301 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
302302 Stephen F. Austin State University, including student tuition
303303 charges. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not
304304 be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is
305305 made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
306306 Sec. 55.1798. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL
307307 BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this
308308 subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas Tech University
309309 System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate,
310310 enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and
311311 related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the
312312 issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
313313 accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
314314 the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the
315315 following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified,
316316 as follows:
317317 (1) Angelo State University, $36 million for a central
318318 plant maintenance and renovation;
319319 (2) Texas Tech University, $70 million for renovations
320320 to address deferred maintenance for campus buildings;
321321 (3) Midwestern State University, $50 million for
322322 renovations to an existing building and other campus infrastructure
323323 upgrades;
324324 (4) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center:
325325 (A) $80 million for maintenance and renovation of
326326 an existing facility; and
327327 (B) $25 million for construction and equipment of
328328 the physician assistant facility in Midland, Texas; and
329329 (5) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El
330330 Paso, $80 million for construction of a dental school building.
331331 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
332332 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
333333 an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas Tech University
334334 System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge
335335 made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
336336 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
337337 bonds, are outstanding.
338338 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
339339 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
340340 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas Tech
341341 University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
342342 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
343343 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
344344 Sec. 55.1799. TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL BONDS.
345345 (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter,
346346 the board of regents of Texas Southern University may acquire,
347347 purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property
348348 and facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for
349349 renovations to existing buildings and other campus infrastructure
350350 upgrades to be financed through the issuance of bonds in accordance
351351 with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate principal amount
352352 of $60 million.
353353 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
354354 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
355355 Texas Southern University, including student tuition charges. The
356356 amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or
357357 abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds
358358 issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
359359 Sec. 55.17991. TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM. (a)
360360 In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the
361361 board of regents of the Texas State Technical College System may
362362 acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
363363 property and facilities, including roads and related
364364 infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of
365365 bonds in accordance with this subchapter for the following entity
366366 and institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate principal
367367 amounts for the projects specified, as follows:
368368 (1) Texas State Technical College System, $33.3
369369 million for the East Williamson County Higher Education Center
370370 expansion;
371371 (2) Texas State Technical College--Fort Bend,
372372 $41,800,000 for Fort Bend County campus expansion;
373373 (3) Texas State Technical College--Harlingen,
374374 $37,800,000 for Harlingen campus expansion;
375375 (4) Texas State Technical College--Marshall, $15
376376 million for Marshall campus expansion;
377377 (5) Texas State Technical College--North Texas, $13.5
378378 million for North Texas campus expansion;
379379 (6) Texas State Technical College--West Texas, $13.5
380380 million for West Texas campus expansion; and
381381 (7) Texas State Technical College--Waco, $50 million
382382 for Waco campus expansion.
383383 (b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds
384384 authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of
385385 an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State Technical
386386 College System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a
387387 pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated
388388 while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to
389389 refund those bonds, are outstanding.
390390 (c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to
391391 meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer
392392 funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State
393393 Technical College System to ensure the most equitable and efficient
394394 allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or
395395 entity to carry out its duties and purposes.
396396 SECTION 3. This Act does not affect any authority or
397397 restriction regarding the activities that a public institution of
398398 higher education may conduct in connection with a facility financed
399399 by bonds authorized by this Act.
400400 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
401401 last day of the legislative session.