By: Cuellar, R. H.B. No. 1830
73R4871 SOS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to establishing the Rio Grande Valley Health Science
1-3 Center.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 74, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter L to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER L. RIO GRANDE VALLEY HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER
1-8 Sec. 74.611. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-9 (1) "Board" means the board of regents of The
1-10 University of Texas System.
1-11 (2) "Border area" means the following counties:
1-12 Atascosa, Bee, Bexar, Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Crockett,
1-13 Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, El Paso, Frio, Hidalgo,
1-14 Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kinney,
1-15 Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, Maverick, Medina, Nueces,
1-16 Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, San Patricio, Starr, Sutton, Terrell,
1-17 Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, Zapata, and Zavala.
1-18 (3) "Center" means the Rio Grande Valley Health
1-19 Science Center.
1-20 Sec. 74.612. COMPONENT INSTITUTION. (a) The Rio Grande
1-21 Valley Health Science Center is a component institution of The
1-22 University of Texas System.
1-23 (b) The center is under the management and control of the
1-24 board.
2-1 (c) The board shall select a site in Cameron or Hidalgo
2-2 County for the center.
2-3 Sec. 74.613. COURSES AND DEGREES. (a) Except as provided
2-4 by Subsection (b) of this section, the board, with the approval of
2-5 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, may prescribe
2-6 courses leading to customary degrees as are offered at other health
2-7 science centers or medical schools in this state.
2-8 (b) At a minimum, the board shall offer:
2-9 (1) a program leading to a doctoral degree in
2-10 medicine;
2-11 (2) master's programs in anatomy, physiology,
2-12 biochemistry, biophysics, public health, and nursing; and
2-13 (3) doctoral programs in anatomy, physiology,
2-14 biochemistry, and biophysics.
2-15 Sec. 74.614. SERVICES OF CENTER. (a) The center shall:
2-16 (1) conduct research relating to diseases in the
2-17 border area;
2-18 (2) develop diagnostic and treatment procedures for
2-19 diseases in the border area;
2-20 (3) provide training programs for medical students and
2-21 resident physicians; and
2-22 (4) provide for the diagnosis and treatment of
2-23 patients in the border area, including indigent patients.
2-24 (b) The board may contract with the governing board of
2-25 another health science center or of a general academic teaching
2-26 institution, as defined by Section 61.003 of this code, to provide
2-27 the services of the center.
3-1 Sec. 74.615. COORDINATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS. The
3-2 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall coordinate the
3-3 technical and health-related programs offered at the center with
3-4 the programs offered at The University of Texas at Brownsville and
3-5 at The University of Texas--Pan American to maximize educational
3-6 service to the border area and to minimize duplication of
3-7 educational services in the border area.
3-8 Sec. 74.616. JOINT APPOINTMENTS. (a) The board may make
3-9 joint faculty appointments to a position with the center and to a
3-10 position in another institution under its governance.
3-11 (b) The salary of a person receiving a joint appointment
3-12 shall be apportioned between the center and the other institution
3-13 on the basis of services rendered.
3-14 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 65, Education Code, is
3-15 amended by adding Section 65.47 to read as follows:
3-16 Sec. 65.47. ENHANCEMENTS FOR RIO GRANDE VALLEY HEALTH
3-17 SCIENCE CENTER. To the extent that funds are available for this
3-18 purpose, the board shall provide to the Rio Grande Valley Health
3-19 Science Center funding that is equal to or greater than the funding
3-20 provided to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at
3-21 Dallas for:
3-22 (1) student support services;
3-23 (2) faculty salaries;
3-24 (3) libraries;
3-25 (4) student scholarships;
3-26 (5) student and faculty research;
3-27 (6) instructional and laboratory equipment; and
4-1 (7) community outreach programs.
4-2 SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
4-3 amended by adding Section 55.1713 to read as follows:
4-4 Sec. 55.1713. RIO GRANDE VALLEY HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER.
4-5 (a) The board of regents of The University of Texas System may
4-6 acquire, purchase, construct, improve, enlarge, and equip property,
4-7 buildings, structures, facilities, and roads for the Rio Grande
4-8 Valley Health Science Center.
4-9 (b) The board may finance those items listed under
4-10 Subsection (a) of this section through the issuance of bonds under
4-11 this subchapter. The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment
4-12 of those bonds all or any part of the aggregate amount of student
4-13 tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed on
4-14 students enrolled at the Rio Grande Valley Health Science Center.
4-15 The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not be
4-16 reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made,
4-17 or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding.
4-18 (c) Bonds issued under this section may not be issued in an
4-19 aggregate principal amount exceeding $30 million.
4-20 SECTION 4. Section 61.003(5), Education Code, is amended to
4-21 read as follows:
4-22 (5) "Medical and dental unit" means The University of
4-23 Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; The University of Texas
4-24 Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; The University of Texas
4-25 Medical School at San Antonio; The University of Texas Dental
4-26 Branch at Houston; The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
4-27 Center; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical
5-1 Sciences at Houston; The University of Texas Dental School at San
5-2 Antonio; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; the
5-3 nursing institutions of The University of Texas System; the Rio
5-4 Grande Valley Health Science Center; and The University of Texas
5-5 School of Public Health at Houston; and such other medical or
5-6 dental schools as may be established by statute or as provided in
5-7 this chapter.
5-8 SECTION 5. Sections 61.055 and 61.056, Education Code, are
5-9 amended to read as follows:
5-10 Sec. 61.055. Initiation of New Departments, Schools, and
5-11 Programs. Except as otherwise provided by law, a <No> new
5-12 department, school, or degree or certificate program approved by
5-13 the board or its predecessor, the Texas Commission on Higher
5-14 Education, may not be initiated by any institution of higher
5-15 education until the board has made a written finding that the
5-16 department, school, or degree or certificate program is adequately
5-17 financed by legislative appropriation, by funds allocated by the
5-18 board, or by funds from other sources.
5-19 Sec. 61.056. Review of Legislation Establishing Additional
5-20 Institutions. Except as otherwise provided by law, a <Any>
5-21 proposed statute which would establish an additional institution of
5-22 higher education, except a public junior college, shall be
5-23 submitted, either prior to introduction or by the standing
5-24 committee considering the proposed statute, to the board for its
5-25 opinion as to the state's need for the institution. The board
5-26 shall report its findings to the governor and the legislature. A
5-27 recommendation that an additional institution is needed shall
6-1 require the favorable vote of at least two-thirds of the members of
6-2 the board. A recommendation of the board shall not be considered a
6-3 condition precedent to the introduction or passage of any proposed
6-4 statute.
6-5 SECTION 6. Section 65.02(a), Education Code, is amended to
6-6 read as follows:
6-7 (a) The University of Texas System is composed of the
6-8 following institutions and entities:
6-9 (1) The University of Texas at Arlington, including
6-10 (A) The University of Texas Institute of Urban
6-11 Studies at Arlington; and
6-12 (B) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
6-13 Arlington;
6-14 (2) The University of Texas at Austin, including
6-15 (A) The University of Texas Marine Science
6-16 Institute;
6-17 (B) The University of Texas McDonald Observatory
6-18 at Mount Locke; and
6-19 (C) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
6-20 Austin;
6-21 (3) The University of Texas at Dallas;
6-22 (4) The University of Texas at El Paso, including The
6-23 University of Texas School of Nursing at El Paso;
6-24 (5) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin;
6-25 (6) The University of Texas at San Antonio, including
6-26 the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio;
6-27 (7) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
7-1 Center at Dallas, including
7-2 (A) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
7-3 School at Dallas;
7-4 (B) The University of Texas Southwestern
7-5 Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Dallas; and
7-6 (C) The University of Texas Southwestern Allied
7-7 Health Sciences School at Dallas;
7-8 (8) The University of Texas Medical Branch at
7-9 Galveston, including
7-10 (A) The University of Texas Medical School at
7-11 Galveston;
7-12 (B) The University of Texas Graduate School of
7-13 Biomedical Sciences at Galveston;
7-14 (C) The University of Texas School of Allied
7-15 Health Sciences at Galveston;
7-16 (D) The University of Texas Marine Biomedical
7-17 Institute at Galveston;
7-18 (E) The University of Texas Hospitals at
7-19 Galveston; and
7-20 (F) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
7-21 Galveston;
7-22 (9) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
7-23 Houston, including
7-24 (A) The University of Texas Medical School at
7-25 Houston;
7-26 (B) The University of Texas Dental Branch at
7-27 Houston;
8-1 (C) The University of Texas Graduate School of
8-2 Biomedical Sciences at Houston;
8-3 (D) The University of Texas School of Allied
8-4 Health Sciences at Houston;
8-5 (E) The University of Texas School of Public
8-6 Health at Houston;
8-7 (F) The University of Texas Speech and Hearing
8-8 Institute at Houston; and
8-9 (G) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
8-10 Houston;
8-11 (10) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
8-12 San Antonio, including
8-13 (A) The University of Texas Medical School at
8-14 San Antonio;
8-15 (B) The University of Texas Dental School at San
8-16 Antonio;
8-17 (C) The University of Texas Graduate School of
8-18 Biomedical Sciences at San Antonio;
8-19 (D) The University of Texas School of Allied
8-20 Health Sciences at San Antonio; and
8-21 (E) The University of Texas School of Nursing at
8-22 San Antonio;
8-23 (11) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
8-24 Center, including
8-25 (A) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
8-26 Hospital;
8-27 (B) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Tumor
9-1 Institute; and
9-2 (C) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
9-3 Science Park; and
9-4 (12) the Rio Grande Valley Health Science Center.
9-5 SECTION 7. (a) Not later than September 1, 1993, the board
9-6 of regents of The University of Texas System shall take the
9-7 necessary actions to establish the Rio Grande Valley Health Science
9-8 Center required by Subchapter L, Chapter 74, Education Code, as
9-9 added by this Act.
9-10 (b) Not later than the beginning of the fall semester in
9-11 1997, the board of regents of The University of Texas System shall
9-12 begin admitting students to the Rio Grande Valley Health Science
9-13 Center established under Subchapter L, Chapter 74, Education Code,
9-14 as added by this Act.
9-15 (c) To the extent that funds are available for this purpose,
9-16 the board of regents of The University of Texas System shall
9-17 provide the funding required by Section 65.47, Education Code, as
9-18 added by this Act, beginning the fiscal year beginning September 1,
9-19 1993.
9-20 SECTION 8. The importance of this legislation and the
9-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
9-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
9-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
9-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
9-25 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
9-26 passage, and it is so enacted.