By: Watson, Hinojosa S.B. No. 1648
(In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2011; March 23, 2011, read
first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
April 18, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 18, 2011,
sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1648 By: Watson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a system 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. SYSTEM 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," "institution of higher education," and
"university system" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
Sec. 51.452. SYSTEM HEALTH CENTER. A system health center
integrates biomedical and clinical research, patient care
services, and predoctoral and postdoctoral teaching provided by
participating institutions, schools, and programs.
Sec. 51.453. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The governing board of a
university system may establish a system health center consisting
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.
(b) The educational programs of a system health center must
be offered primarily by a single institution of higher education
and, together with patient care services, must be provided
primarily within the geographic region designated by the governing
board.
(c) Each of the following must offer substantial
educational programs through the system health center:
(1) one or more allopathic or osteopathic medical
schools, each of which must administer residency programs in not
fewer than three medical specialties within the center;
(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 a system
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 center's access to 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 programs of the center
will participate in those contracts;
(4) community support for the center 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 educational program offered by a
system health center 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.
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