S.B. No. 956
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a law school in the city of Dallas
by the University of North Texas System.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 105.001, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 105.001. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM. The
University of North Texas System is composed of:
(1) the University of North Texas;
(2) the University of North Texas Health Science
Center at Fort Worth; [and]
(3) the University of North Texas at Dallas; and
(4) the University of North Texas at Dallas College of
Law.
SECTION 2. Section 105.151, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as
follows:
(c-1) Venue for a suit filed solely against the University
of North Texas at Dallas College of Law or against officers or
employees of the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law
is in Dallas County.
(d) In case of a conflict between Subsection (a), (b), [or]
(c), or (c-1) and any other law, Subsection (a), (b), [or] (c), or
(c-1) controls.
SECTION 3. Subchapter J, Chapter 105, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 105.502 to read as follows:
Sec. 105.502. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM COLLEGE OF
LAW. (a) The board may establish and operate a school of law in
the city of Dallas as a professional school of the University of
North Texas System.
(b) In administering the law school, the board may prescribe
courses leading to customary degrees offered at other leading
American schools of law and may award those degrees.
(c) Until the University of North Texas at Dallas has been
administered as a general academic teaching institution for five
years, the board shall administer the law school as a professional
school of the system. After that period, the law school shall
become a professional school of the University of North Texas at
Dallas. Until the law school becomes a professional school of the
University of North Texas at Dallas, the law school:
(1) is considered an institution of higher education
under Section 61.003 for all purposes under other law; and
(2) is entitled to formula funding as if the law school
were a professional school of a general academic teaching
institution.
(d) Before the board establishes a law school under this
section, but not later than June 1, 2010, the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board shall prepare a feasibility study to determine
the actions the system must take to obtain accreditation of the law
school. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
deliver a copy of the study to the chair of each legislative
standing committee or subcommittee with jurisdiction over higher
education.
(e) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this
section.
SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.0665 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.0665. STUDY REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF LAW SCHOOLS.
(a) The board shall conduct a study to examine the need for and
feasibility of establishing a public law school in areas of the
state where a law school is not located, including the Texas-Mexico
border region. The study shall be conducted using the same criteria
used for determining the need for and feasibility of establishing
the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law.
(b) Not later than November 1, 2010, the board shall report
the results of the study required by Subsection (a) to the governor,
lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
presiding officer of each legislative standing committee with
primary jurisdiction over higher education.
(c) This section expires January 31, 2011.
SECTION 5. If this Act receives a vote of at least
two-thirds of the membership of each house of the legislature, the
University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law created under
Section 105.502, Education Code, as added by this Act, is entitled
to participate in the funding provided by Section 17, Article VII,
Texas Constitution.
SECTION 6. This Act does not make an appropriation. This
Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the
implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations
act of the 81st Legislature.
SECTION 7. 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.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 956 passed the Senate on
April 15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1;
May 18, 2009, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 25, 2009, House
granted request of the Senate; May 31, 2009, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 30,
Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 956 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 14, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 108,
Nays 35, one present not voting; May 25, 2009, House granted
request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 31, 2009, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 112, Nays 24, one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor