The Temple Junior College District may create the East Williamson County Multi-Institution Teaching Center with at least one listed higher-education institution, and the center’s member institutions have several financing and operating powers, subject to a formal agreement and a 40-year limit on certain obligations.
Sec. 130.092. EAST WILLIAMSON COUNTY MULTI-INSTITUTION TEACHING CENTER. (a) The Temple Junior College District may establish, in conjunction with at least one of the following institutions, the East Williamson County Multi-Institution Teaching Center: (1) Tarleton State University; (2) Tarleton State University System Center--Central Texas; (3) Texas State Technical College--Waco; or (4) another public or private institution of higher education. (b) The center shall provide coordinated higher education opportunities to the residents of the region in which the center is located by offering academic credit courses and programs from the member institutions of the center. The center must be administered under a formal agreement entered into by the Temple Junior College District with the other member institutions. (c) The member institutions of the center shall work with the local community to identify and offer courses that will meet the educational and workforce development goals for the region served by the center. (d) The member institutions of the center may, under the terms of the formal agreement, make provisions for adequate physical facilities for use by the center. (e) The member institutions of the center may solicit, accept, and administer, on terms and conditions acceptable to the members, gifts, grants, or donations of any kind and from any source for use by the center. (f) A member institution of the center, a political subdivision, an entity created by a political subdivision, or a nonprofit corporation may individually or jointly, under the terms of an agreement under Subsection (d), finance or refinance the acquisition, purchase, construction, improvement, renovation, enlargement, or equipping of physical facilities described by Subsection (d) through the issuance of bonds, notes, or other obligations. The financing of facilities under this subsection may be made through a long-term agreement with another member institution, political subdivision, or other entity described by this subsection, or through a guarantee of any bond, note, or other obligation. Any bond, note, or other obligation issued or a long-term agreement or guarantee made under this subsection may not exceed a term of 40 years. (g) Any bond, note, or other obligation issued or long-term agreement or guarantee made under Subsection (f) may be pledged as security for and used towards the payment of any bond, note, or other obligation issued for the benefit of the center. A bond, note, or other obligation issued or long-term agreement or guarantee made under Subsection (f) is not subject to annual appropriation. (h) The financing of facilities under this section promotes the public purpose of supporting higher education and further promotes the public purpose of developing and diversifying the economy of this state and eliminating unemployment and underemployment in this state under the authority granted by Section 52-a, Article III, Texas Constitution. (i) A member institution of the center, political subdivision, entity created by a political subdivision, or nonprofit corporation may pledge irrevocably to the payment of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued or a long-term agreement or guarantee made under Subsection (f), and to the extent permitted by law, all or any part of the available revenues, taxes, or any combination of revenues and taxes of the member institution, political subdivision, entity, or nonprofit corporation. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while any bonds, notes, or obligations for which the pledge is made, or bonds, notes, or other obligations issued to refund those bonds, notes, or obligations, are outstanding. (j) An agreement providing for bonds, notes, or other obligations, or a long-term agreement or guarantee, under Subsection (f) may provide for a member institution, political subdivision, entity created by a political subdivision, or nonprofit corporation to have an ownership or other interest in the facilities to be financed by the bonds, notes, or obligations, or long-term agreements or guarantees, or to participate in the operation of the facility. (k) A member institution of the center, political subdivision, entity created by a political subdivision, or nonprofit corporation may use an entity created under Chapter 53 or 53A to accomplish the purposes of this section. (l) This section is wholly sufficient authority for the execution of agreements, the pledge of revenues, taxes, or any combination of revenues and taxes, and the performance of other acts and procedures authorized by this section without reference to any other provision of law or any restriction or limitation contained in those provisions, except as specifically provided by this section. To the extent of any conflict or inconsistency between this section and any other law, this section shall prevail and control. A member institution of the center, political subdivision, entity created by a political subdivision, or nonprofit corporation may use any law not in conflict with this section to the extent convenient or necessary to carry out any power or authority, expressed or implied, granted by this section. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (H.B. 2074), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 703 (H.B. 2805), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.