TRAVEL EXPENSES PAID OR REIMBURSED BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

(a) This chapter does not apply to a travel expense to the extent an institution of higher education pays or reimburses the expense from institutional funds.

(b) The governing board of an institution of higher education shall adopt rules as necessary to administer and control travel expense payments and reimbursements that are exempt from this chapter under Subsection (a).

(c) Funds appropriated for the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute of The University of Texas of the Permian Basin may be used to pay for costs associated with the institute's educational programs for public secondary and university-level students, including registration fees, ground or air transportation, lodging, meals, training costs, and related expenses.

(d) Funds appropriated for Prairie View A&M University may be used to pay for costs associated with the university's Academy for Collegiate Excellence and Student Success program and Research Apprentice Program and the Prairie View A&M Undergraduate Medical Academy, including participant and employee travel expenses and related expenses.

(e) Funds appropriated for the education of university students at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio may be used to pay for costs associated with the educational programs for the campus's university-level students attending the Laredo Regional Campus and receiving clinical training in Webb County and the surrounding communities, including ground or air transportation, lodging, and related expenses.