SB 1017

$100M in revenue bonds for El Paso student success building

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds for certain capital projects at The University of Texas at El Paso.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Plus related roads and infrastructure.

The bill lets the University of Texas System board of regents borrow up to $100 million through revenue bonds to build a student success building, plus related roads and infrastructure, at The University of Texas at El Paso. The board may pledge university revenue, including student tuition charges, to repay the bonds, and may shift funds among UT System campuses if money runs short. Once it takes effect on September 1, 2025, UTEP can finance the building with debt repaid from system revenue streams.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 847 (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 847 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 30, 2025 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1017 · 2025-01-30

SOLD BY

Sen. César BlancoDSenate 29

ITEM

relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds for certain capital projects at The University of Texas at El Paso.

WHAT IT DOES

Plus related roads and infrastructure.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Jan 30, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Jan 30, 2025Filed
Feb 24, 2025Read first time
Feb 24, 2025Referred to Education K-16

FILED UNDER

DEBT AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS

THE TEXT

…“to be financed by the issuance of bonds in accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program and secured as provided by that program, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $100 million”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill grants new bond authority of up to $100 million for a UTEP building, repayable from system revenue that can include student tuition charges.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

César Blanco

Donors

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$26K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25K Border Health PAC$25K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$25,750.00

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$25,750.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $750.00
Total: $25,750.00

consulting $750.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 25, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989095.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 3, 2024 to Jan 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989095, 101009709, 101033590, 101060872.

Border Health PAC$25,000.00

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989095.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$25,750.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $750.00
Total: $25,750.00

consulting $750.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 25, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989095.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 3, 2024 to Jan 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989095, 101009709, 101033590, 101060872.

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989095.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 847

by Sen. Blanco, same lead author · Did not pass · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 1, 2023: Referred to s/c on Higher Education by Pres

Relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds for certain capital projects at The University of Texas at El Paso.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 30, 2025

02/24/2025 S Referred to Education K-16

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 2855 by Perez, Vincent (identical)

Subjects

Education--Higher--Finance

Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs

BONDS

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM

Text

The text as introduced · 334 words

89R4801 AND-F

By: Blanco
S.B. No. 1017

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds for certain

capital projects at The University of Texas at El Paso.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 55.17992 to read as follows:

Sec. 55.17992. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO;

ADDITIONAL BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted

under 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 The University of Texas at El Paso for

construction of a student success building, to be financed by the

issuance of bonds in accordance with a systemwide revenue financing

program and secured as provided by that program, in an aggregate

principal amount not to exceed $100 million.

(b) The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of the

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.

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 September 1, 2025.