| 1 | 1 | | By: Martinez H.B. No. 4575 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to an exemption from accreditation for certain private |
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| 7 | 7 | | postsecondary educational institutions offering professional law |
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| 8 | 8 | | degrees in this state. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 61.313, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subsection (g-1) to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (g-1) For the purposes of Subsection (a), a private |
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| 13 | 13 | | postsecondary educational institution that holds a certificate of |
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| 14 | 14 | | authority issued under Section 61.3035 may use the term "school of |
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| 15 | 15 | | law" or "law school" in the institution's official name or title. |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 17 | 17 | | amended by adding Section 61.3035 to read as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | Section 61.3035. EXEMPTION FROM ACCREDITATION FOR CERTAIN |
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| 19 | 19 | | LAW SCHOOLS. (a) The board by rule shall establish fair and |
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| 20 | 20 | | reasonable standards for issuing a certificate of authority to a |
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| 21 | 21 | | private postsecondary educational institution in this state to |
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| 22 | 22 | | grant degrees for completion of a professional program in the study |
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| 23 | 23 | | of law. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) The standards under this section must ensure that each |
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| 25 | 25 | | student attending the institution receives an education that fully |
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| 26 | 26 | | prepares the student for the practice of law in this state. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 81, Government Code, is |
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| 28 | 28 | | amended by adding Section 81.062 to read as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 81.062. ADMISSION OF GRADUATES OF CERTAIN LAW SCHOOLS. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Notwithstanding any other law, a person who holds a degree granted |
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| 31 | 31 | | by a law school to which a certificate of authority has been issued |
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| 32 | 32 | | under Section 61.3035, Education Code, is entitled to the same |
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| 33 | 33 | | right to admission to the practice of law and to be administered the |
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| 34 | 34 | | professional licensing examination by the board of law examiners |
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| 35 | 35 | | under Subchapter B, Chapter 82, as are persons who hold a degree |
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| 36 | 36 | | granted by an accredited law school in this state. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 4. Section 82.0341, Government Code, is amended to |
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| 38 | 38 | | read as follows: |
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| 39 | 39 | | Sec. 82.0241. UNACCREDITED SCHOOLS OF LAW; EXCEPTION. All |
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| 40 | 40 | | matters relating to licensing of persons who were enrolled at |
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| 41 | 41 | | unaccredited schools of law in this state are within the exclusive |
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| 42 | 42 | | jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of Texas, except that |
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| 43 | 43 | | a person who holds a degree granted by a law school to which a |
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| 44 | 44 | | certificate of authority has been issued under Section 61.3035, |
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| 45 | 45 | | Education Code, is entitled to the same rights concerning licensing |
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| 46 | 46 | | as a person who holds a degree granted by an accredited law school. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 5. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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| 48 | 48 | | shall adopt the standards required by Section 61.3035, Education |
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| 49 | 49 | | Code, as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2009. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 51 | 51 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 52 | 52 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 53 | 53 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 54 | 54 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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