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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2015
Contact: Josh Reyna
(512) 463-0120 office
Senator Hinojosa Supports Passage of House Bill 100
Universities in South Texas To Receive Major Capital Investments

AUSTIN, TX – Today, the Texas Senate approved H.B. 100 by Representative John Zerwas and sponsored by Senator Kel Seliger. Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa also co-sponsored the measure. H.B. 100 would authorize tuition revenue bonds (TRBs) that would be essential for the state’s higher education institutions to build and maintain facilities, provide for enrollment growth, and remain competitive. Since their inception, TRBs successfully have funded capital construction projects at institutions of higher education.

"Without TRB funding, colleges and universities would have to fund capital construction projects in other ways, such as by raising tuition," stated Senator Hinojosa. "H.B. 100 will help expand and construct new classrooms and labs for our growing student population."

H.B. 100 would authorize the issuance of $3.1 billion in tuition revenue bonds (TRBs) for institutions of higher education to finance construction and renovation of infrastructure and facilities. The two major institutions of higher education in Senate District 20, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) and The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (UT-RGV), will receive significant capital investments with the passage of H.B. 100.

"H.B. 100 provides UT-RGV with $36.4 million for construction of a multipurpose academic building at its Brownsville campus and $30.6 million for construction of an interdisciplinary engineering academic studies building at the campus in Edinburg. TAMUCC is slated to receive $60 million in TRBs for construction of a life sciences research and engineering building," announced Senator Hinojosa. "I am pleased to support H.B. 100 which increases access for our students and improves our higher education institutions in South Texas."

Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa serves as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development, Criminal Justice, Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs as well as the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), and the Sunset Advisory Commission.

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