Sec. 54.523. STUDENT CENTER FEES; TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. (a) To the extent approved by the students under Subsection (b) of this section, the board of regents of the Texas State University System may charge each student enrolled in a university or educational center under its authority a student center fee not to exceed $100 per semester or $50 per summer term of six weeks or less to be used to construct, operate, maintain, improve, and program a student center at the university or educational center at which the student is enrolled.

(b) The decision to levy a student center fee, the amount of the initial fee, and an increase in the fee must be approved by a majority vote of those students participating in a general election called for that purpose; provided that this requirement shall not apply to the decision to levy a student center fee or the amount of the initial fee approved by the board prior to the effective date of this section.

(c) The chief fiscal officer of each university operating a student center, either on its central campus or at an educational center of the university, shall collect the student center fee and shall deposit the money received into an account known as the student center account.

(d) The university shall hold in reserve any fee revenue that exceeds the amount necessary to construct, operate, maintain, improve, and program the student center. The university may use the fee revenue held in reserve only for future expenses of constructing, operating, maintaining, improving, or programming the student center.

(e) The board may charge a student center fee under this section at Lamar University or an educational center of Lamar University in the amount charged at the appropriate institution in the 1994-1995 academic year under former Section 54.517 or 108.361 as approved by a majority of the students of the institution voting in an election called for that purpose, as if the fee had been approved by a majority vote of the students under this section. Revenue from the fee charged under this section at an educational center of Lamar University may be used to pay the principal of and interest on revenue bonds issued under former Section 108.361 for the purpose of constructing a student center at the educational center.

Added by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1812, ch. 401, Sec. 1, eff. June 11, 1981. Renumbered from Education Code Sec. 95.35 and amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 901, Sec. 25, eff. Aug. 31, 1987. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 156, Sec. 1, eff. May 22, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1061, Sec. 8, 12(3), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 598, Sec. 4, eff. June 20, 2003.