Austin – State Rep. Dianne White Delisi announced today that the higher education tuition revenue bond legislation (HB 153) approved by the Texas House of Representatives today authorizes bonds for two important Texas A&M System projects that greatly benefit Central Texas.


"HB 153 sets in motion the new Texas A&M University – Central Texas campus in Killeen and the new four-year medical school facility in Temple," Delisi stated. "Both of these $45 million projects significantly increase the higher education opportunities available in Central Texas through the Texas A&M system."


The approval of tuition revenue bonds for the Texas A&M University – Central Texas project is a prerequisite for having 662 acres of land from the U.S. Army transferred to the State of Texas for use as the new campus site. This project will formally complete the conversion of Tarleton State University – Central Texas to Texas A&M University – Central Texas.


"This project will ensure greater educational opportunities for the many military families and others moving into the Fort Hood area," Delisi said. "Central Texas is growing rapidly and the construction of expanded educational opportunities is needed to attempt to stay ahead of the growth. There was a 44 percent increase in population in the region encompassing Bell County and its seven surrounding counties from 1990 through 2005. We will have the students and we need to make sure we have the facilities."


"The future of Texas hinges upon an educated population," Delisi stated. "This is an investment that will pay dividends for each proceeding generation."


Delisi also incorporated an amendment to HB 153 that adds $45 million in tuition revenue bonds to construct the facilities needed to provide a full four years of medical education at the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine in Temple. Delisi's amendment was offered to align the tuition revenue bond bill with the most recent facilities plan approved by the Texas A&M System Board of Regents.


The Board of Regents recently approved plans to construct new facilities in both Bryan/College Station and Temple to allow both locations within their College of Medicine to offer a full four year program. Currently first and second year medical school students complete their pre-clinical training in Bryan/College Station and then relocate to Temple for their third and fourth years of clinical education.


"The ongoing partnership between Texas A&M University, Scott & White, and the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System to train students for careers in medicine is strengthened by this plan," Delisi said. "The construction being set in motion will enable the Texas A&M University System to expand the medical student class size from 80 to 200. This will help assure that Texas graduates a sufficient number of physicians to keep up with our growing needs."


HB 153 is an omnibus bill containing requests for tuition revenue bond authority for higher education facilities around the state. The bill will now be sent to the Texas Senate. Tuition revenue bonds were added to the call of the special session by Gov. Rick Perry to enable the Texas Legislature to act on this legislation.