81R1296 JRJ-D
By: Martinez H.B. No. 83
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishing a health science center and medical school
in the Rio Grande Valley.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 74, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter N to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER N. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH
SCIENCE CENTER--RIO GRANDE VALLEY
Sec. 74.751. HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER. (a) The board of
regents of The University of Texas System may operate The
University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley as a
component institution of The University of Texas System with its
main campus and administrative offices in the Harlingen
metropolitan area. The health science center may consist of a
medical school, other health and health-related degree programs,
and related programs and facilities as the board considers
appropriate, including:
(1) research and training facilities at The University
of Texas--Pan American and The University of Texas at Brownsville
that are used to support the health science center; and
(2) additional research programs and facilities in the
Edinburg metropolitan area.
(b) The board of regents may include facilities located in
Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, Willacy, and
Zapata Counties in the health science center and may operate
programs and activities and provide related services of the center
in those counties.
(c) The board of regents shall require that courses for the
first two years of a degree program preparing students for
licensure as physicians that is offered by the health science
center be held at The University of Texas at Brownsville. Other
courses for the program must be held at the main campus of the
health science center except as otherwise necessary to operate the
program.
Sec. 74.752. PARTICIPATION IN AVAILABLE UNIVERSITY FUND.
In accordance with Section 18(c), Article VII, Texas Constitution,
if the Act enacting this section receives a vote of two-thirds of
all the members elected to each house of the legislature, the
institution created under this section is entitled to participate
in the funding provided by Section 18, Article VII, Texas
Constitution, for The University of Texas System.
Sec. 74.753. COURSES AND DEGREES; RULES. The board of
regents may prescribe courses leading to customary degrees and may
adopt rules for the operation, control, and management of the
health science center as may be necessary for the conduct of a
medical school and other health science center programs of the
first class.
Sec. 74.754. AFFILIATION AGREEMENTS; JOINT APPOINTMENTS.
(a) The board of regents may execute and carry out affiliation or
coordination agreements with any other entity or institution in the
region, including The University of Texas--Pan American and The
University of Texas at Brownsville, to participate in the health
science center.
(b) The board of regents may make joint appointments in the
health science center and other institutions under the board's
governance. The salary of a person who receives a joint appointment
shall be apportioned to the appointing institutions on the basis of
services rendered.
Sec. 74.755. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board of regents may
accept and administer gifts and grants from any public or private
person or entity for the use and benefit of the health science
center.
Sec. 74.756. OTHER FACILITIES. In addition to the
facilities of the health science center, the board of regents may
enter into agreements under which additional facilities used in the
center's teaching and research programs, including libraries,
auditoriums, research facilities, and medical education buildings,
may be provided by a public or private entity.
Sec. 74.757. TEACHING HOSPITAL. A teaching hospital
considered suitable by the board of regents for the health science
center may be provided by a public or private entity. The hospital
may not be constructed, maintained, or operated with state funds.
Sec. 74.758. COORDINATING BOARD SUPERVISION. The health
science center is subject to the continuing supervision of the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Chapter 61 and to
the rules of the coordinating board adopted under Chapter 61.
Sec. 74.759. EFFECT OF HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER ON RIO GRANDE
VALLEY ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER. (a) The board of regents may
convert the regional academic health center established under
Subchapter L into The University of Texas Health Science
Center--Rio Grande Valley and establish a medical school at the
health science center as soon as the board considers appropriate
considering available resources and the best interests of The
University of Texas System and the people of this state and the
Lower Rio Grande Valley. In establishing the health science center
and medical school, the board of regents shall ensure that the
programs, students, and faculty and staff of the regional academic
health center are not affected other than as the board considers
necessary to implement this subchapter.
(b) It is the intent of the legislature that The University
of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley be established by
conversion of the regional academic health center established under
Subchapter L and that those entities be considered to be the same
institution. A reference in law to the regional academic health
center applies to The University of Texas Health Science
Center--Rio Grande Valley to the extent it can be made applicable.
All contracts and agreements, including bonds and other financial
obligations, entered into by The University of Texas System or any
of its officers or employees relating to the regional academic
health center apply to The University of Texas Health Science
Center--Rio Grande Valley when the health science center is
established.
(c) The permanent endowment fund established under Section
63.101 for the benefit of the regional academic health center
established under Subchapter L is transferred to the benefit of The
University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley when
the health science center is established. It is the intent of the
legislature that the transfer of the endowment fund be made so as
not to interrupt the research or other programs supported by
distributions from the fund.
SECTION 2. Section 55.1732, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
(e) Bonds authorized or issued under this section for the
regional academic health center established under Section 74.611
are considered to have been authorized or issued for The University
of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley when that
institution is established.
SECTION 3. Section 61.003(5), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(5) "Medical and dental unit" means The University of
Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; The University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; The University of Texas
Medical School at San Antonio; The University of Texas Dental
Branch at Houston; The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical
Sciences at Houston; The University of Texas Dental School at San
Antonio; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; The
University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley, if
established under Section 74.751; the nursing institutions of The
University of Texas System; and The University of Texas School of
Public Health at Houston; and such other medical or dental schools
as may be established by statute or as provided in this chapter.
SECTION 4. Section 63.002(c), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) The amount available for distribution from the fund may
be appropriated only for programs that benefit medical research,
health education, or treatment programs at the following
health-related institutions of higher education:
(1) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
San Antonio;
(2) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center;
(3) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center at Dallas;
(4) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston;
(5) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
Houston;
(6) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
Tyler;
(7) The University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio
Grande Valley, if established under Section 74.751;
(8) The Texas A&M University Health Science Center;
(9) [(8)] the University of North Texas Health Science
Center at Fort Worth;
(10) [(9)] the Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center; and
(11) [(10)] Baylor College of Medicine, if a contract
between Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board is in effect under Section 61.092.
SECTION 5. Section 65.02(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The University of Texas System is composed of the
following institutions and entities:
(1) The University of Texas at Arlington, including:
(A) The University of Texas Institute of Urban
Studies at Arlington; and
(B) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
Arlington;
(2) The University of Texas at Austin, including:
(A) The University of Texas Marine Science
Institute;
(B) The University of Texas McDonald Observatory
at Mount Locke; and
(C) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
Austin;
(3) The University of Texas at Dallas;
(4) The University of Texas at El Paso, including The
University of Texas School of Nursing at El Paso;
(5) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin;
(6) The University of Texas at San Antonio, including
the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio;
(7) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center at Dallas, including:
(A) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
School at Dallas;
(B) The University of Texas Southwestern
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Dallas; and
(C) The University of Texas Southwestern Allied
Health Sciences School at Dallas;
(8) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston, including:
(A) The University of Texas Medical School at
Galveston;
(B) The University of Texas Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences at Galveston;
(C) The University of Texas School of Allied
Health Sciences at Galveston;
(D) The University of Texas Marine Biomedical
Institute at Galveston;
(E) The University of Texas Hospitals at
Galveston; and
(F) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
Galveston;
(9) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
Houston, including:
(A) The University of Texas Medical School at
Houston;
(B) The University of Texas Dental Branch at
Houston;
(C) The University of Texas Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences at Houston;
(D) The University of Texas School of Health
Information Sciences at Houston;
(E) The University of Texas School of Public
Health at Houston;
(F) The University of Texas Speech and Hearing
Institute at Houston; and
(G) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
Houston;
(10) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
San Antonio, including:
(A) The University of Texas Medical School at San
Antonio;
(B) The University of Texas Dental School at San
Antonio;
(C) The University of Texas Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences at San Antonio;
(D) The University of Texas School of Allied
Health Sciences at San Antonio; and
(E) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
San Antonio;
(11) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center, including:
(A) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Hospital;
(B) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Tumor
Institute; and
(C) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Science Park; and
(12) The University of Texas Health Science
Center--Rio Grande Valley, if established under Section 74.751.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.