By Lucio                                               S.B. No. 455
       74R4935 JSA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the establishment and operation of a regional academic
    1-3  health center as part of The University of Texas Health Science
    1-4  Center at San Antonio.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 74, Education Code, is
    1-7  amended by adding Section 74.155 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 74.155.  RIO GRANDE VALLEY ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER.  (a)
    1-9  The board of regents may establish a regional academic health
   1-10  center serving Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties to be
   1-11  operated as part of The University of Texas Health Science Center
   1-12  at San Antonio.  The regional academic health center may consist of
   1-13  facilities located throughout the region.   The board may execute
   1-14  and carry out affiliation or coordination agreements with any other
   1-15  entity or institution to establish or to participate in the
   1-16  establishment or operation of the regional academic health center.
   1-17        (b)  The regional academic health center may be used to
   1-18  provide undergraduate clinical education, graduate education,
   1-19  including residency training programs, or other levels of medical
   1-20  educational work in those counties.  The primary purpose of the
   1-21  center is to provide education in primary medical care, but
   1-22  education in other health disciplines may also be provided.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.