AUSTIN-The Texas Tribune reports that the state House of Representatives has given tentative approval to billions of dollars in bonds for improvements and construction on university and college campuses throughout the state. Senators gave the go-ahead on Senate Bill 16, which authorized $2.4 billion, but will revisit the proposal, as the House increased the total to $2.7 billion. SB 16 also includes Tuition Revenue Bonds for 60 projects at 58 institutions and system offices that total $4.1 billion.

The article points out that the Texas Legislature (which meets biannually) is typically expected to pass a package of TRBs — which — every other regular session, but no such authorizations have been made since 2006. Meanwhile the wish list of new facilities for higher education around the state has grown.

If passed, the bonds would impact the following institutions:

• Midwestern State University
• Stephen F. Austin State University
• Texas A&M University System
• Texas Southern University
• Texas State Technical College System
• Texas State University System
• Texas Tech University System
• Texas Woman's University
• University of Houston System
• University of North Texas System
• University of Texas System

SB 16 is an amendment of SB 1, a current law authorizing issuance of revenue bonds to fund capital projects at the state's public institutions of higher education. Read more about the story here.