HBA-MPM, MPM H.B. 1297 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1297
By: Lewis, Ron
Higher Education
3/11/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Lamar University at Port Arthur and Lamar University at Orange initially
received accreditation as separate institutions in 1988 and were
reaccredited in 1993.  The current Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS) accreditation team for Lamar University at Beaumont  has
tied the changing of the names of these institutions to the reaccreditation
of the Beaumont institutions, and has advised the name changes because
these institutions are not four-year schools.  H.B. 1297 changes the names
of Lamar University Institute of Technology to Lamar Institute of
Technology; Lamar University at Orange to Lamar State College at Orange;
and Lamar University at Port Arthur to Lamar State College at Port Arthur.
Furthermore, this bill makes conforming changes regarding allocations to
state universities that have changed names. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 96.703, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 96.703.  New title:  LAMAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.  Deletes
"University" from title.  Makes a conforming change. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 96.704(a), (b), (c), and (e), Education Code,
to provide that the coeducational lower-division institutions of higher
education established and maintained as separate accredited degree-granting
institutions in the counties of Jefferson and Orange are to be known as
"Lamar State College," rather than Lamar University, at Port Arthur and
Orange, respectively. Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Sections 54.060(a), (e), and (g), Education Code, as
follows: 

(a)  Includes Lamar State College at Orange, Lamar State College at Port
Arthur, and Lamar Institute of Technology among a list of institutes and
colleges for which a nonresident tuition fee does not apply to a student
who is a resident of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, or Oklahoma.  Deletes
a "two-year institution in the Lamar University System" from this list of
institutes and colleges. 

(e)  Makes a conforming change.

(g)  Deletes the definition of a "two year institution in the Lamar
University System" (Lamar University at Orange, Lamar University at Port
Arthur, or the Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont).  Makes a
nonsubstantive change. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 55.1724(a), Education Code, to make conforming
changes. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 62.021(a), Education Code, to allocate
$5,572,558 from funds distributed under this subsection by the comptroller
of public accounts to Texas A&M University - Commerce and Texas A&M
University -- Texarkana, rather than East Texas State University, including
East Texas State University at Texarkana.  Allocates $9,468,548 to Lamar
University, including Lamar State College at Orange and Lamar State College
at Port Arthur, rather than Lamar University at Orange and Port Arthur,
respectively.  Includes Rio Grande College, rather than Uvalde Center,
among a list of Texas State University System Administration and component
institutions to which $23,181,556 is allocated. 

SECTION 6.  Repealer:  Section 54.060(h), Education Code.  This subsection
states that if legislation enacted by the 74th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1995, transferring the governance of a two-year institution in the
Lamar University System to another board of regents becomes law, the
institution is considered to be an institution in the Lamar University
System.  It further states that if no such legislation becomes law, this
subsection expires January 1, 1996. 

SECTION 7.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.