Texas Attorney General Opinion: JC-527 Page: 1 of 7
This text is part of the collection entitled: Texas Attorney General Opinions and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
> OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL - STATE OF TEXAS
JOHN CORNYN
July 9, 2002
The Honorable Jeff Wentworth Opinion No. JC-0527
Chair, Redistricting Committee
Texas State Senate Re: Whether the University of Texas System may
P.O. Box 12068 adopt a mandatory infrastructure fee without
Austin, Texas 78711 express legislative authority (RQ-0500-JC)
Dear Senator Wentworth:
You ask whether the University of Texas System Board of Regents may adopt a mandatory
infrastructure fee under existing law.' In February of this year, the Board of Regents of the
University System (the "Board") approved an infrastructure charge for students of
the University of Texas at Austin. See Minutes of the Board of Regents of the University
of Texas System, Meeting No. 948 (Feb. 13-14, 2002) at 49 available at
http://www.utsystem.edu/borminutes/2-02meeting948.pdf (last visited June 25, 2002). The
infrastructure charge, set for the 2002-2003 academic year at $150 per long session semester for a
student taking seven or more semester credit hours and $75 per long session semester for a student
taking no more than six semester credit hours, would increase annually through the 2007-2008
academic year by amounts ranging from $30 to $85. See id. at 45; see also Board of Regents
Agenda Book, Feb. 13-14, 2002, Academic Affairs Committee Substitute Agenda Item at la,
available at http://www.utsystem.edu/bor/agendabook/February/yellow%20paper%20aac.doc (last
visited June 25, 2002) [hereinafter Comm. Substitute Agenda Item]. According to the request to the
Board for approval of an infrastructure fee, "[t]he fee income will be dedicated for the repair,
renovation, and essential capital improvement of U.T. Austin's educational and general facilities."
Board of Regents Agenda Book, Feb. 13-14, 2002, Academic Affairs Committee at 3, available at
http://www.utsystem.edu/bor/agendabook/February/2-02AacAB.doc (last visited June 25, 2002);
see also Comm. Substitute Agenda Item at 2b. "Approximately one-half ofthe infrastructure charge
income will be dedicated to paying for essential repairs and renovations," while the remainder "will
be bonded and used to pay debt service on essential capital projects funded by such bonding, many
related to fire and life safety upgrades and water control and environmental health issues." Comm.
Substitute Agenda Item at 2b. University officials cite as authority for the Board's action section
55.16(a) of the Education Code, which provides as follows:'Letter from Senator Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Redistricting Committee, Texas State Senate, to Honorable
John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General (Jan. 18, 2002) (on file with Opinion Committee) [hereinafter Request Letter].
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This text can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Text.
Texas. Attorney-General's Office. Texas Attorney General Opinion: JC-527, text, September 7, 2002; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth274837/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.