Bill Text: TX HB812 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to fund capital projects at public institutions of higher education; making an appropriation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-23 - Referred to Higher Education [HB812 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB812-Introduced.html
84R5589 JSL-D | ||
By: Lozano | H.B. No. 812 |
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relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to fund | ||
capital projects at public institutions of higher education; making | ||
an appropriation. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 55.1781, 55.1782, 55.1783, 55.1784, | ||
55.1785, 55.1786, 55.1787, 55.1788, 55.1789, 55.17891, and | ||
55.17892 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.1781. THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System | ||
may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or | ||
equip property and facilities, including roads and related | ||
infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of | ||
bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a | ||
systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the | ||
following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate | ||
principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows: | ||
(1) Texas A&M University--Commerce, $40,500,000 for | ||
construction of a nursing and health sciences building; | ||
(2) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, $67,500,000 | ||
for construction of a life sciences research and engineering | ||
building; | ||
(3) Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $93 million for | ||
a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classroom | ||
building; | ||
(4) Texas A&M University--Texarkana, $30,000,000 for | ||
construction of an academic and student services building; | ||
(5) West Texas A&M University: | ||
(A) $7,500,000 for renovation of the Amarillo | ||
Center; and | ||
(B) $32,250,000 for construction of an | ||
agricultural sciences complex; | ||
(6) The Texas A&M University System Health Science | ||
Center: | ||
(A) $60,000,000 for construction of a | ||
multidisciplinary research and education facility in Bryan, Texas; | ||
and | ||
(B) $67,500,000 for construction of a dental | ||
clinic facility at the Baylor College of Dentistry; | ||
(7) Texas A&M International University, $41,698,125 | ||
for construction of an academic and laboratory building; | ||
(8) Prairie View A&M University, $11,250,000 for | ||
construction of a fabrication center; | ||
(9) Tarleton State University: | ||
(A) $56,250,000 for construction of an applied | ||
sciences building; and | ||
(B) $41,250,000 for construction of a southwest | ||
metroplex building for the campus in Midlothian; | ||
(10) Texas A&M University, $63,750,000 for | ||
construction of a biocontainment research facility; | ||
(11) Texas A&M University at Galveston, $62,250,000 | ||
for expansion of an instructional and teaching laboratory; | ||
(12) Texas A&M University--Central Texas, $30,000,000 | ||
for construction of a multipurpose building; and | ||
(13) Texas A&M University--San Antonio, $52,500,000 | ||
for construction of a science and technology building and | ||
infrastructure for campus development. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
an institution, branch, or entity of The Texas A&M University | ||
System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge | ||
made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The Texas A&M | ||
University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
Sec. 55.1782. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of The University of Texas System | ||
may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or | ||
equip property and facilities, including roads and related | ||
infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of | ||
bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a | ||
systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board for the | ||
following institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate | ||
principal amounts for the projects specified, as follows: | ||
(1) The University of Texas at Austin, $67,500,000 for | ||
renovation of Robert A. Welch Hall; | ||
(2) The University of Texas--Rio Grande Valley: | ||
(A) $37,950,000 for construction of a | ||
multipurpose academic center at the campus in Brownsville; and | ||
(B) $31,875,000 for construction of an | ||
interdisciplinary engineering and academic studies building at the | ||
campus in Edinburg; | ||
(3) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical | ||
Center at Dallas, $67,500,000 for the construction and renovation | ||
of a vivarium and academic and laboratory facilities; | ||
(4) The University of Texas Health Science Center at | ||
San Antonio, $67,500,000 for the renovation of a medical and dental | ||
education building and the School of Nursing; | ||
(5) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer | ||
Center, $52,500,000 for construction of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan | ||
Al Nahyan building; | ||
(6) The University of Texas Medical Branch at | ||
Galveston, $50,850,000 for construction of a health education | ||
center; | ||
(7) The University of Texas at Arlington, $67,500,000 | ||
for construction of a science and engineering innovation and | ||
research building; | ||
(8) The University of Texas at Dallas, $67,500,000 for | ||
construction of an engineering building; | ||
(9) The University of Texas at El Paso, $67,500,000 | ||
for construction of an interdisciplinary research facility; | ||
(10) The University of Texas at San Antonio, | ||
$67,500,000 for construction of an instructional science and | ||
engineering building; | ||
(11) The University of Texas at Tyler, $57,000,000 for | ||
construction of a STEM building; | ||
(12) The University of Texas Health Science Center at | ||
Houston, $67,500,000 for the renovation and modernization of a | ||
medical school building, the School of Public Health, and | ||
University Center Tower; | ||
(13) The University of Texas Health Science Center at | ||
Tyler, $11,250,000 for the renovation of a facility for physician | ||
residents training; and | ||
(14) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, | ||
$45,000,000 for construction of an engineering building. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
an institution, branch, or entity of The University of Texas | ||
System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge | ||
made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of The University | ||
of Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
Sec. 55.1783. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of the University of Houston | ||
System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, | ||
enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and | ||
related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the | ||
issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in | ||
accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by | ||
the board for the following institutions or entities, not to exceed | ||
the following aggregate principal amounts for the projects | ||
specified, as follows: | ||
(1) the University of Houston: | ||
(A) $90,000,000 for construction of a health and | ||
biomedical sciences center; and | ||
(B) $45,000,000 for construction of a new | ||
academic building located in Sugar Land, Texas; | ||
(2) the University of Houston--Clear Lake: | ||
(A) $17,100,000 for construction of a health | ||
sciences and classroom building located in Pearland, Texas; and | ||
(B) $76,050,000 for construction of a STEM and | ||
classroom building; | ||
(3) the University of Houston--Downtown, $67,500,000 | ||
for construction of a science and technology building; | ||
(4) the University of Houston--Victoria, $64,065,000 | ||
for construction of a science, technology, and classroom building; | ||
and | ||
(5) the University of Houston System, $27,405,000 for | ||
construction of a Cinco Ranch building located in the area near | ||
Katy, Texas. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
an institution, branch, or entity of the University of Houston | ||
System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge | ||
made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University | ||
of Houston System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
Sec. 55.1784. TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas State University | ||
System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, | ||
enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and | ||
related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the | ||
issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in | ||
accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by | ||
the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the | ||
following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified, | ||
as follows: | ||
(1) Lamar University, $54,000,000 for construction of | ||
a science and technology building; | ||
(2) Lamar State College--Orange, $9,375,000 for | ||
construction of a multipurpose education building; | ||
(3) Lamar State College--Port Arthur, $7,200,000 for | ||
expansion of technology program facilities; | ||
(4) Lamar Institute of Technology, $6,480,000 for | ||
renovation of the technical arts buildings; | ||
(5) Texas State University: | ||
(A) $67,500,000 for construction of an | ||
engineering and sciences building; and | ||
(B) $50,625,000 for construction of a health | ||
professions building in Round Rock, Texas; | ||
(6) Sam Houston State University, $45,000,000 for | ||
construction of a biology laboratory building; and | ||
(7) Sul Ross State University, $5,850,000 for | ||
renovation and modernization of educational and related facilities | ||
and infrastructure. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas State University | ||
System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge | ||
made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State | ||
University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
Sec. 55.1785. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of the University of North Texas | ||
System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, | ||
enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and | ||
related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the | ||
issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in | ||
accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by | ||
the board for the following institutions or entities, not to exceed | ||
the following aggregate principal amounts for the projects | ||
specified, as follows: | ||
(1) the University of North Texas System, $42,000,000 | ||
for renovation of college of law buildings; | ||
(2) the University of North Texas, $62,100,000 for | ||
construction and renovation of college of visual arts and design | ||
facilities; | ||
(3) the University of North Texas at Dallas, | ||
$52,500,000 for construction of a student learning and success | ||
center; and | ||
(4) the University of North Texas Health Science | ||
Center at Fort Worth, $67,500,000 for construction of an | ||
interdisciplinary research building. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
an institution, branch, or entity of the University of North Texas | ||
System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge | ||
made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the University | ||
of North Texas System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
Sec. 55.1786. TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY. (a) In addition to | ||
the other authority granted by this subchapter, the board of | ||
regents of Texas Woman's University may acquire, purchase, | ||
construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property and | ||
facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a | ||
science and technology learning center, to be financed through the | ||
issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed | ||
the aggregate principal amount of $32,297,450. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
Texas Woman's University, including student tuition charges. The | ||
amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or | ||
abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds | ||
issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. | ||
Sec. 55.1787. MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of Midwestern State University may | ||
acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip | ||
property and facilities, including roads and related | ||
infrastructure, for the Gunn College of Health Science and Human | ||
Services, to be financed through the issuance of bonds in | ||
accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate | ||
principal amount of $51,850,000. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
Midwestern State University, including student tuition charges. | ||
The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced | ||
or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds | ||
issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. | ||
Sec. 55.1788. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY. (a) In | ||
addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the | ||
board of regents of Stephen F. Austin State University may acquire, | ||
purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property | ||
and facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for a | ||
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research | ||
building at Stephen F. Austin State University, to be financed | ||
through the issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter, | ||
not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $49,300,000. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
Stephen F. Austin State University, including student tuition | ||
charges. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not | ||
be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is | ||
made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. | ||
Sec. 55.1789. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of the Texas Tech University | ||
System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, | ||
enlarge, or equip property and facilities, including roads and | ||
related infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the | ||
issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in | ||
accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by | ||
the board for the following institutions, not to exceed the | ||
following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified, | ||
as follows: | ||
(1) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: | ||
(A) $56,497,500 for renovation and expansion of | ||
Lubbock education, research, and technology facilities; | ||
(B) $13,365,000 for construction of the Permian | ||
Basin academic facility; and | ||
(C) $4,762,500 for construction of the Amarillo | ||
Panhandle Clinical/Hospital Simulation; | ||
(2) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El | ||
Paso, $63,720,000 for construction of the El Paso Medical Science | ||
Building II; | ||
(3) Texas Tech University, $65,947,500 for | ||
construction of an experimental sciences building; and | ||
(4) Angelo State University, $18,022,500 for | ||
construction of a College of Health and Human Services building. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
an institution, branch, or entity of the Texas Tech University | ||
System, including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge | ||
made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas Tech | ||
University System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
Sec. 55.17891. TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY; ADDITIONAL | ||
BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this | ||
subchapter, the board of regents of Texas Southern University may | ||
acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip | ||
property and facilities, including roads and related | ||
infrastructure, for the Robert J. Terry Library at Texas Southern | ||
University, to be financed through the issuance of bonds in | ||
accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the aggregate | ||
principal amount of $59,710,680. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
Texas Southern University, including student tuition charges. The | ||
amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or | ||
abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds | ||
issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. | ||
Sec. 55.17892. TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM. (a) In | ||
addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the | ||
board of regents of the Texas State Technical College System may | ||
acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip | ||
property and facilities, including roads and related | ||
infrastructure, for projects to be financed through the issuance of | ||
bonds in accordance with this subchapter for the following | ||
institutions, not to exceed the following aggregate principal | ||
amounts for the projects specified, as follows: | ||
(1) Texas State Technical College--West Texas, | ||
$9,967,270 for construction of an industrial technology center; | ||
(2) Texas State Technical College--Harlingen, | ||
$3,114,772 for Phase II of the Engineering Technology Center | ||
renovation; | ||
(3) Texas State Technical College--Marshall, | ||
$7,875,400 for construction of a North Texas technology building; | ||
and | ||
(4) Texas State Technical College--Waco, $12,417,558 | ||
for construction of the Fort Bend Technical Center. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of those | ||
bonds all or any part of the revenue funds of an institution, | ||
branch, or entity of the Texas State Technical College System, | ||
including student tuition charges. The amount of a pledge made | ||
under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the | ||
bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those | ||
bonds, are outstanding. | ||
(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board to | ||
meet its obligations under this section, the board may transfer | ||
funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the Texas State | ||
Technical College System to ensure the most equitable and efficient | ||
allocation of available resources for each institution, branch, or | ||
entity to carry out its duties and purposes. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act does not affect any authority or | ||
restriction regarding the activities that a public institution of | ||
higher education may conduct in connection with a facility financed | ||
by bonds authorized by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. (a) The amount of $2.89 billion is appropriated | ||
out of the economic stabilization fund to the comptroller of public | ||
accounts for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2017, for | ||
distribution to institutions of higher education and university | ||
systems for debt service on revenue bonds authorized by this Act. | ||
This subsection takes effect only if this Act receives a vote of | ||
two-thirds of the members present in each house of the legislature, | ||
as provided by Section 49-g(m), Article III, Texas Constitution. | ||
If this Act does not receive a vote of two-thirds of the members | ||
present in each house of the legislature, this subsection does not | ||
take effect. | ||
(b) This subsection takes effect only if Subsection (a) of | ||
this section does not take effect. The amount of $2.89 billion is | ||
appropriated out of the general revenue fund to the comptroller of | ||
public accounts for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, | ||
2017, for distribution to institutions of higher education and | ||
university systems for debt service on revenue bonds authorized by | ||
this Act. | ||
(c) The comptroller shall distribute a portion of the amount | ||
appropriated by Subsection (a) or (b) of this section, as | ||
applicable, to each institution of higher education or university | ||
system, as applicable, in accordance with calculations made by the | ||
Legislative Budget Board of each institution's or system's | ||
proportionate share of the amount appropriated based on the amount | ||
of revenue bonds authorized by this Act for each institution or | ||
system. | ||
(d) The Legislative Budget Board shall make the initial | ||
calculations under this section and notify the comptroller and the | ||
applicable institutions of higher education and university systems | ||
of the respective shares to be distributed under this section as | ||
soon as practicable. The Legislative Budget Board may make | ||
adjustments to those calculations and provide a final determination | ||
of those shares. | ||
SECTION 4. Except as provided by Sections 3(a) and (b) of | ||
this Act, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |