Sec. 54.5222. MEDICAL SERVICES FEE; TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. (a) The board of regents of Texas Southern University may levy and collect a medical services fee not to exceed $35 per student for each semester of the regular term or $17.50 for each term of the summer session from each student enrolled in Texas Southern University for the sole purpose of operating, maintaining, improving, and equipping a medical service facility at the university, acquiring and constructing additions to the medical service facility, and providing medical services to students registered at the university. A fee collected under this section is in addition to any other use or service fee authorized to be levied.

(b) The fees collected under this section shall be deposited to the credit of an account known as the "Texas Southern University Medical Services Fee Account" and shall be under the control of the student fee advisory committee established under Section 54.5031.

(c) The student fee advisory committee annually shall submit to the board of regents a complete and itemized budget for the medical service facility with a complete report of all medical service activities conducted during the past year and all expenditures made in connection with those activities. The board of regents may make changes in the budget that the board determines are necessary. After approving the budget, the board of regents, in accordance with this section, may levy a medical services fee for that year in amounts sufficient to meet the budgetary needs of the medical service facility. If the budget approved by the board contains an expenditure for the construction of a facility, the board may contract for the construction of the facility.

(d) The board may not increase the amount of the medical services fee by more than 10 percent in any academic year unless the amount of the increase is approved by a majority of the students voting in an election held for that purpose or by a majority of the student government of the institution.

(e) A fee levied under this section may not be considered in determining the maximum student services fee that may be charged under Section 54.503(b).

(f) Before a fee is initially charged under this section and at other times as determined by the board of regents, the board shall provide students at the institution and employees of the institution an opportunity to make recommendations to the board about the type of or scope of services the medical facility should offer.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 544, Sec. 1, eff. May 31, 1997.

For expiration of Section 54.5223, see Subsection (h).