82R9405 KEL-F
By: Gonzales of Hidalgo H.B. No. 3189
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of an academic health center by a
university system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTERS
Sec. 51.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "General academic teaching institution,"
"governing board," and "university system" have the meanings
assigned by Section 61.003.
Sec. 51.452. ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER. An academic health
center is a program that integrates biomedical and clinical
research, patient care, and predoctoral and postdoctoral teaching
provided by multiple participating institutions, schools, and
programs.
Sec. 51.453. ESTABLISHMENT. The governing board of a
university system may establish an academic health center as a
program of institutions of higher education under the board's
control and direction if the system meets the criteria provided by
this subchapter, as determined by the coordinating board. The
center must include as participants:
(1) one or more allopathic or osteopathic medical
schools;
(2) two or more health professional schools or
programs, such as nursing, public health, or pharmacy schools or
programs;
(3) one or more undergraduate degree programs of a
general academic teaching institution; and
(4) one or more graduate degree programs of a general
academic teaching institution.
Sec. 51.454. DEMONSTRATION OF NEED AND SUPPORT. (a) The
coordinating board shall approve the establishment of an academic
health center under Section 51.453 if the coordinating board finds
that the university system seeking to establish the center has
demonstrated:
(1) a need for the center based on applicable
statewide and regional factors, including:
(A) demographic factors such as:
(i) age, income, and health condition; and
(ii) rate of persons without health care
coverage; and
(B) present or predicted physician-to-population
ratios or physician shortages in identified specialties;
(2) the system's ability to provide a teaching
hospital and other facilities adequate to support the center's
research, education, and clinical activities, considering the
proximity and availability of existing complementary facilities
and programs;
(3) the center's capacity to expend in the aggregate a
minimum of $50 million annually in federally sponsored or privately
sponsored research, as evidenced by the research contracts of
participating institutions, provided that the center will
participate in those contracts;
(4) community support from a combination of state and
local governments, charities, chambers of commerce, hospitals, and
medical societies, as evidenced by commitments of financial and
other resources with an aggregate value of at least $35 million; and
(5) a well-defined business plan that includes
identified financial resources estimated to be sufficient for the
ongoing support of the center, including support for medical
residencies.
(b) Health condition information considered under
Subsection (a)(1)(A)(i) may include health condition information
relating to rates of disabilities, infant mortality, obesity, or
diabetes or other chronic conditions.
Sec. 51.455. EFFECT ON FORMULA FUNDING. For purposes of the
appropriation formulas recommended by the coordinating board under
Section 61.059, a student of an academic health center established
under this subchapter is considered to be a student of a
health-related institution to the extent that formula funding of
health-related institutions applies to the discipline in which the
student is enrolled.
SECTION 2. 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, 2011.