El Paso student union fee cap: $30 to $150

The text as introduced · 438 words

89R4918 JTZ-F

By: Blanco
S.B. No. 1016

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to student union building fees at The University of Texas

at El Paso.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.535, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), and

(a-3) to read as follows:

(a) The board of regents of The University of Texas System

may levy a student union fee in an amount not to exceed $150 [ $30 ]

per student for each semester or term of 10 [ regular semester or

each summer session of six ] weeks or more, and not to exceed $75

[ $15 ] per student for any other semester or term [ each summer

session of less than six weeks ], for the sole purpose of financing,

constructing, operating, maintaining, and improving a student

union building for The University of Texas at El Paso , including

demolition of the existing student union building ; provided,

however, that the fee may not be increased to an amount that exceeds

by at least 10 percent the amount of the fee levied during the

preceding academic year, [ above $15 per student for each regular

semester or each summer session of six weeks or more and $7.50 per

student for each summer session of less than six weeks ] unless the

increase is approved by a majority vote of [ those ] students

enrolled at the university participating in a general student

election held for that purpose . The fees herein authorized to be

levied are in addition to any use or service fee now or hereafter

authorized to be levied.

(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for a semester or

term before the 2026 fall semester, the amount of a fee levied under

this section may not exceed:

(1) $70 per student for a semester or term of 10 weeks

or more; or

(2) $35 per student for a semester or term not

described by Subdivision (1).

(a-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for a semester or

term of the 2026-2027 academic year, the amount of a fee levied

under this section may not exceed:

(1) $120 per student for a semester or term of 10 weeks

or more; or

(2) $60 per student for a semester or term not

described by Subdivision (1).

(a-3) Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) and this subsection

expire September 1, 2027.

SECTION 2. Section 54.535, Education Code, as amended by

this Act, applies beginning with student union fees collected for

the 2026 spring semester.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.