Bill Text: TX SB21 | 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.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-01-26 - Referred to Higher Education [SB21 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB21-Introduced.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 21 | |
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relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to fund | ||
capital projects at public institutions of higher education. | ||
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: | ||
(A) $54 million for a nursing and health sciences | ||
building; and | ||
(B) $54 million for a library and center for | ||
educational innovation and faculty development; | ||
(2) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi: | ||
(A) $120 million for a life sciences research and | ||
engineering building; and | ||
(B) $50 million for an arts and media building; | ||
(3) Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $93 million for | ||
a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classroom | ||
building; | ||
(4) Texas A&M University--Texarkana, $40 million for | ||
an academic and student service building; | ||
(5) West Texas A&M University: | ||
(A) $43 million for an agricultural sciences | ||
complex; and | ||
(B) $10 million for the Amarillo Center Phase II; | ||
(6) The Texas A&M University System Health Science | ||
Center: | ||
(A) $80 million for a multidisciplinary research | ||
and education facility in Bryan, Texas; and | ||
(B) $80 million for the A&M Baylor College of | ||
Dentistry facility in Dallas, Texas; | ||
(7) Texas A&M International University: | ||
(A) $62.1 million for library addition and | ||
renovation; and | ||
(B) $66 million for repurpose of kinesiology | ||
building; | ||
(8) Prairie View A&M University: | ||
(A) $30,790,000 for a fabrication center and | ||
capital improvements; and | ||
(B) $10 million for the Innovation | ||
Commercialization Center for Entrepreneurs facility; | ||
(9) Tarleton State University: | ||
(A) $55 million for the Southwest Metroplex | ||
Building; and | ||
(B) $75 million for an applied sciences building; | ||
(10) Texas A&M University: | ||
(A) $85 million for a biocontainment research | ||
facility level 3; and | ||
(B) $90 million for classroom building and | ||
renewal; | ||
(11) Texas A&M University at Galveston, $92 million | ||
for expansion of instructional facilities, infrastructure and | ||
central plant; | ||
(12) Texas A&M University--Central Texas, $40 million | ||
for multi-purpose building III; and | ||
(13) Texas A&M University--San Antonio: | ||
(A) $70 million for a science and technology | ||
academic building; and | ||
(B) $16.5 million for central plant. | ||
(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: | ||
(A) $100 million for Welch Hall renovation; and | ||
(B) $105 million for McCombs School of Business | ||
renovation; | ||
(2) The University of Texas--Rio Grande Valley: | ||
(A) $50.6 million for a multipurpose academic | ||
center; | ||
(B) $45 million for coastal studies center | ||
facility; | ||
(C) $42.5 million for interdisciplinary | ||
engineering and academic studies building; | ||
(D) $50.4 million for fine arts and classroom | ||
building; and | ||
(E) $54.7 million for student success and | ||
administrative building; | ||
(3) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical | ||
Center, $109.8 million for vivarium and aging research | ||
infrastructure reinvestment; | ||
(4) The University of Texas Health Science Center at | ||
San Antonio, $114 million for facilities renewal and modernization; | ||
(5) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer | ||
Center, $70 million for a personalized cancer care building; | ||
(6) The University of Texas Medical Branch at | ||
Galveston, $67.8 million for a health education center; | ||
(7) The University of Texas at Arlington: | ||
(A) $190 million for science and engineering | ||
innovation research building; and | ||
(B) $99 million for college of nursing and allied | ||
health professions academic and research building; | ||
(8) The University of Texas at Dallas: | ||
(A) $99 million for an engineering building; and | ||
(B) $95 million for a science building; | ||
(9) The University of Texas at El Paso: | ||
(A) $117 million for an interdisciplinary | ||
research facility; and | ||
(B) $94.5 million for college of business | ||
administration complex; | ||
(10) The University of Texas at San Antonio: | ||
(A) $95 million for instructional science and | ||
engineering building; and | ||
(B) $42.5 million for the Flawn Science Building | ||
renovation; | ||
(11) The University of Texas at Tyler, $76 million for | ||
a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics building | ||
expansion and renovation; | ||
(12) The University of Texas Health Science Center at | ||
Houston: | ||
(A) $123.9 million for the renovation and | ||
modernization of educational and research facilities; and | ||
(B) $91 million for academic and research | ||
building; | ||
(13) The University of Texas Health Science Center at | ||
Tyler, $15 million for facilities renewal and modernization; and | ||
(14) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin: | ||
(A) $60 million for a School of Engineering | ||
building; and | ||
(B) $6,250,600 for a kinesiology and athletic | ||
training complex; | ||
(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, not to exceed the | ||
following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified, | ||
as follows: | ||
(1) the University of Houston: | ||
(A) $165 million for health and biomedical | ||
sciences center 2; and | ||
(B) $91,350,000 for an academic building in Sugar | ||
Land, Texas; | ||
(2) the University of Houston--Clear Lake: | ||
(A) $120 million for a science, technology, | ||
engineering, and mathematics and classroom building; and | ||
(B) $34.2 million for a health sciences and | ||
classroom building; | ||
(3) the University of Houston--Downtown, $108.7 | ||
million for a science and technology building; and | ||
(4) the University of Houston--Victoria, $166 million | ||
for academic campus expansion and land acquisition. | ||
(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, $72 million for a science and | ||
technology building; | ||
(2) Lamar State College--Orange, $12.5 million for a | ||
multipurpose education building; | ||
(3) Lamar State College--Port Arthur, $9.6 million for | ||
technology building expansion; | ||
(4) Lamar Institute of Technology: | ||
(A) $12.5 million for repair and renovation of | ||
the technical arts buildings; and | ||
(B) $12.1 million for a student services learning | ||
support center; | ||
(5) Texas State University: | ||
(A) $67.5 million for a health professions | ||
building in Round Rock, Texas; and | ||
(B) $107 million for an engineering and science | ||
building; | ||
(6) Sam Houston State University, $60 million for a | ||
biology laboratory building; and | ||
(7) Sul Ross State University: | ||
(A) $7.8 million for renovation and | ||
modernization of educational facilities and infrastructure; and | ||
(B) $8,452,000 for the Briscoe Administration | ||
Building renovation. | ||
(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, not to exceed the | ||
following aggregate principal amounts for the projects specified, | ||
as follows: | ||
(1) the University of North Texas System, $56 million | ||
for College of Law building renovations; | ||
(2) the University of North Texas: | ||
(A) $82.8 million for a college of visual arts | ||
and design facility; and | ||
(B) $88.2 million for a science and technology | ||
research building; | ||
(3) the University of North Texas at Dallas, $70 | ||
million for a student learning and success center; and | ||
(4) the University of North Texas Health Science | ||
Center at Fort Worth, $96.8 million for 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 an | ||
experiential learning and training building, to be financed through | ||
the issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to | ||
exceed the aggregate principal amount of $37,997,000. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
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 academic expansion and revitalization at | ||
Midwestern State University, to be financed through the issuance of | ||
bonds in accordance with this subchapter, not to exceed the | ||
aggregate principal amount of $73 million. | ||
(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 $58 million. | ||
(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) $75,330,000 for Lubbock education, research, | ||
and technology facilities; | ||
(B) $17,820,000 for the Permian Basin academic | ||
facility in Odessa, Texas; and | ||
(C) $6,350,000 for the Amarillo Panhandle | ||
clinical/hospital simulation center in Amarillo, Texas; | ||
(2) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El | ||
Paso: | ||
(A) $84,960,000 for the El Paso Medical Science | ||
Building II; and | ||
(B) $30,960,000 for the El Paso Clinical Science | ||
Building; | ||
(3) Texas Tech University: | ||
(A) $87,930,000 for Experimental Science | ||
Building II; and | ||
(B) $60,840,000 for College of Engineering | ||
expansion and renovation; and | ||
(4) Angelo State University, $24,030,000 for 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 $70,250,000. | ||
(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds | ||
authorized by this section all or any part of the revenue funds of | ||
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--Harlingen, | ||
$3,750,000 for engineering center expansion and renovation; | ||
(2) Texas State Technical College--Marshall, $13.8 | ||
million for the North Texas technology building; | ||
(3) Texas State Technical College--Waco, $14,950,000 | ||
for Fort Bend Technical Center Building Two; and | ||
(4) Texas State Technical College--West Texas, $12 | ||
million for the Abilene Industrial Technology 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. 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, 2015. |