HB3701 - Relating to the authority of the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to construct, acquire, improve, extend, and equip utility systems located on university system property.

  89R24069 CMO-F     By: Dyson, Guillen, Harris, Wilson, Lalani H.B. No. 3701     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3701:     By:  Wilson C.S.H.B. No. 3701       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the authority of the board of regents of The Texas A&M   University System to construct, acquire, improve, extend, and equip   utility systems located on university system property.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 85.24, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 85.24.  UTILITIES.  (a)  The board [ from time to time ]   may improve and equip existing [ central ] power plants and may   construct, acquire, improve, and equip steam plants and additions   to steam plants. For the purposes of this subsection, [ them, and ]   the board may acquire property [ land for these purposes ] for the   institutions under its control[ , ] when the total cost, type of   construction, capacity, and plans and specifications have been   approved by the board.  As used in this section  [ subsection ], "steam   plants" does not include electrical generating facilities, but   "[ central ] power plants" does include electrical generating   facilities.          (b)  The board [ from time to time ] may construct, extend, and   improve the water systems and [ , ] sewer systems[ , or both, ] for [ any   or ] all institutions under its control[ , ] when the total cost, type   of construction, capacity, and plans and specifications have been   approved by the board.          (c)  The board may provide [ furnish ] water, sewer, steam,   power, electricity, or any combination [ or all ] of those services   from the [ power and steam plant or ] plants and other facilities   located at each institution to [ any or ] all [ dormitories, kitchens   and dining halls, hospitals, student activity buildings,   gymnasiums, athletic buildings and stadiums, the dormitory for   help, laundry, and other ] buildings or facilities that [ may ] have   been or may be constructed at each institution, and may determine   the amount to be charged as a part of the maintenance and operation   expense of those buildings or facilities for the service or   services.  The board may allocate the cost of providing   [ furnishing ] the services to revenue-producing buildings and   facilities and to other buildings and facilities at the   institutions.  The board may pledge the net revenues from the   amounts thus received for the services to pay the principal of and   interest on, and to create and maintain the reserve for, the   negotiable revenue bonds issued for the purpose of constructing,   acquiring, improving, extending, or equipping the power and steam   plants, or additions thereto, or other facilities, and may secure   the bonds additionally by pledging rentals, rates, charges, and   fees for the use or availability of all or any property, buildings,   structures, activities, operations, or facilities, of any nature,   which may be fixed and collected from all or any designated part of   the students enrolled in the institution or institutions or from   others in the amounts and in the manner determined and provided by   the board in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds.           (d)     In addition to the authority granted to the board under   Subsections (a) and (b), the board may construct and acquire power   plants, and additions to power plants, located on university system   property in Brazos County and may acquire water systems and sewer   systems located on university system property in Brazos County.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.