Correction: The original story listed the wrong bill number for HB- 2491 and the wrong district for Rep. John Otto. This story has been corrected and updated with new information.
A series of new bills approaches the Texas House of Representatives that could raise student fees if the individual schools choose to do so.
18th District Rep. John Otto has sponsored two bills that are currently awaiting judgment in the Higher Education Committee of Texas before they are passed onto the House of Representatives.
The first of these two bills, HB- 2491, proposes an increase to the maximum amount that may be charged in student service fees per semester. If passed this bill will increase the current maximum of $100 to $200.
The HB- 2491 clarifies that the school, “may not increase the amount by more than 10 percent from one academic year to the next unless the increase is approved by a majority vote of those students participating in a general election called for that purpose.”
This increase comes after the SHSU student body voted for Lowman Student Center fee increase.
The other bill currently sitting in the Higher Education Committee, HB- 2313, is in regards to the students recreational sports fee. This bill holds many similarities to the first, as it increases the maximum that the fees may be raised to. Currently the student body is paying the maximum of $100 per semester, a 2.9 percent increase from last semester’s $97.
Upon the passing of this bill there will be an increase of maximum fees to $200. As well as with the first bill, a cap will be placed on the rate of price increase at 10 percent.
According to Otto HB 2491 and HB-2313 were brought to him by the Texas State University System Board of Regents to accomplish the goals of the Student Government Association as they passed resolutions to increase these fees because the facilities were not meeting the goals of the student body.
If passed, the student body can expect to see these changes as soon as day one of the 2013 fall semester. Without a two-thirds affirmation of extradition of the bill, these changes will be initiated come Sept. 1, 2013.