Texas senate approves $3 billion in bonds for university construction

For the first time in nearly a decade, Texas universities could soon have some state money for construction.

The Texas Senate Tuesday approved $3 billion in bonds for state universities that have seen rapidly growing student populations in recent years. No state money has been available for campus expansion since 2006.

Among the projects approved by the Senate: about $130 million to the University of Houston's main campus, with about $76.5 million going to a new health and biomedical sciences center.

The university would also get about $37 million to buy land for a planned expansion in Katy, Texas.

The University of Texas and Texas A&M systems, as well as most other university systems in the state, also would get millions for construction. The Senate bill is similar to a version of a bill already passed by the House, where it is headed for final approval.