Texas Legislature Progress on Capital Projects Funding - Impacts Lamar and TSUS

[LUSportsFan]

There is an important bill going through the 83rd Congress 2nd Special Session. The bill, HB5, pertains to authorization of issuance of revenue bonds for capital construction projects at most of the public institutions of higher learning in Texas. Various forms of the bill have not successfully made it through to approval for several years. The current version was placed on "the Major State Calendar" yesterday. According to the calendar hierarchy, the Major State Calendar is #2 in order of priority just under Emergency Legislation. The last few attempts have ended up in the "close, but no cigar" category.

 

The bill impacts Texas State University System projects totalling $213.5 Million including $34 Million for a science building at Lamar University.

 

Below is a link to an excellent July 14 article from the San Marcos Mercury discussing the bill's impact.

 

http://smmercury.com/2013/07/14/texas-state-campus-construction-projects-not-dead-yet/

 

Here's a link to a Texas Legislature site tracking the bill's progress.

 

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=832&Bill=HB5

 

The bill is currently at Stage 3 of 7 stages.