Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1251 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/09/2021

                    By: Miles S.B. No. 1251


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 Relating to authorizing of joint degrees for certain graduate
 programs of The University of Texas Health Science Center at
 Houston and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 3, Subsection 73.102 Education
 Code, is amended by adding subsection (3) to read as follows:
 Sec. 73.102.  PURPOSE; DEGREE PROGRAMS. (a)  The
 institution and its substations shall be devoted to the diagnosis,
 teaching, study, prevention, and treatment of neoplastic and allied
 diseases.
 (b)  If the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
 determines that the role and mission of the institution should be
 changed to include degree-granting authority, the board of regents
 may:
 (1)  prescribe courses and conduct allied health
 professional degree programs related to the purposes of the
 institution described by Subsection (a); and
 (2)  jointly prescribe courses and jointly conduct
 graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels related to
 those purposes with The University of Texas Health Science Center
 at Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; and
 (3)  jointly prescribe courses and jointly conduct
 graduate programs with The University of Texas Health Science
 Center at Houston, including educational programs at the master's
 and doctoral levels related to the broad fields encompassed in
 population and public health.
 (c)  The degree programs to be offered under Subsection (b)
 are subject to approval by the coordinating board.
 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, 2021.