Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

_____________________ A PPROPRIATIONS
PPROPRIATIONS ACT
77 th Texas Legislature
• A $280.2 million General Revenue Funds increase for the Toward EXcellence, Access, and
Success (TEXAS) Grant Program and a $10 million increase in General Revenue Funds
contingent upon enactment of S. B. 1596, 77th Legislation, 2001, for the TEXAS Grant II Program.
• A $160.1 million General Revenue Funds increase to fund enrollment growth at general academic
and two-year institutions.
• A $127.4 million General Revenue Funds increase to higher education formula funding.
• An $111.7 million General Revenue Funds increase to fund new and enhanced special items at
general academic and health-related institutions.
• A $40 million General Revenue Funds increase for the Tuition Equalization Grants Program.
• A $11.1 million increase in General Revenue Funds to create a trusteed fund for enrollment growth
(including nursing growth) for general academic institutions at the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board (THECB) (moved from institutions’ appropriation bill patterns).
• A $73.8 million increase to the Available University Fund (AUF) attributable to Proposition 17,
approved in the November 1999 statewide election, allowing distributions to the AUF from capital
gains as well as income return and allowing for payment of Permanent University Fund (PUF)
expenses from the PUF.
Other significant recommendations:
Changes the Growth Supplement methodology from using enrollment forecasts to using actual growth Fallto-Fall
in weighted semester credit hours. Growth funds are trusteed to the THECB.
Provides increases in General Revenue Funds for higher education group insurance to meet current
employment levels and increases in premiums.
Provides the Optional Retirement Program a $18.9 million General Revenue Funds increase and a $2.2
million General Revenue–Dedicated Funds increase to account for payroll growth among participating
higher education employees.
Recommends for the Higher Education Group Insurance program an increase of $290 million in General
Revenue Funds due to growth in enrollment and current rate premium increases.
Provides General Academic Institutions:
• Continuation of the $68.1 million increase in General Revenue Funds for faculty and nonfaculty
salary increases added by the 76 th Legislature, and distribution of amounts among the institutions
through the funding formulas.
• A $71.7 million increase in General Revenue Funds to fund enrollment growth of 3.1 percent.
• An increase of $50 million in General Revenue Funds to comply with the Texas commitment to the
United States Office of Civil Rights’ Priority Plan for Texas Southern University and Prairie View
A&M University.
Senate Research Center 13