By Wilson H.B. No. 146
75R1935 CAG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the transfer to the state of Paul Quinn College to
1-3 become an institution of higher education under the governance of
1-4 the board of regents of Texas Southern University.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. (a) If the governing board of the entity that
1-7 owns Paul Quinn College, a private institution of higher education
1-8 located in Dallas County, offers to donate the campus of that
1-9 college, including the land, structures, improvements, equipment,
1-10 and other facilities, to this state before January 1, 1999, and
1-11 that property is free of liens or other encumbrances, this state
1-12 accepts the gift and transfers the property to the custody,
1-13 control, and governance of the board of regents of Texas Southern
1-14 University with the same status as other property of that board of
1-15 regents.
1-16 (b) If the governing board of the entity that owns Paul
1-17 Quinn College, a private institution of higher education located in
1-18 Dallas County, offers to sell the campus of that college, including
1-19 the land, structures, improvements, equipment, and facilities, to
1-20 this state before January 1, 1999, in exchange for an amount equal
1-21 to the value of any liens or other encumbrances on the property,
1-22 this state agrees to purchase the property for that amount if the
1-23 legislature has appropriated or made available to the Texas Higher
1-24 Education Coordinating Board or the board of regents of Texas
2-1 Southern University sufficient funds to purchase the property for
2-2 that amount.
2-3 (c) If this state accepts the gift of the property of Paul
2-4 Quinn College under Subsection (a) of this section or purchases the
2-5 property under Subsection (b) of this section, the property is
2-6 transferred to the ownership, control, and governance of the board
2-7 of regents of Texas Southern University with the same status as
2-8 other property of that board of regents.
2-9 (d) The commissioner of higher education represents this
2-10 state for purposes of receiving the offer to donate or sell the
2-11 property and accepting that offer on behalf of this state, and
2-12 shall accept the offer as provided by Subsection (a) or (b) of this
2-13 section, as applicable, as soon as practicable after the offer is
2-14 made. The state's acceptance takes effect on the date the
2-15 commissioner certifies that the donation has been accepted or the
2-16 purchase has been completed.
2-17 (e) If the property of Paul Quinn College is transferred to
2-18 the board of regents of Texas Southern University under this
2-19 section, the board shall continue to operate the existing programs
2-20 and activities of the college to the extent necessary to operate
2-21 the college as Paul Quinn University in accordance with Chapter
2-22 106, Education Code, as amended by this Act. Before the property
2-23 is transferred to this state, the board may enter into agreements
2-24 conditioned on the transfer to facilitate the continuation of those
2-25 programs or activities.
2-26 SECTION 2. On the date the commissioner of higher education
2-27 certifies that the state has accepted the donation of or completed
3-1 the purchase of the property of Paul Quinn College under Section 1
3-2 of this Act, which certification the commissioner shall publish in
3-3 the Texas Register, Subchapter A, Chapter 106, Education Code, is
3-4 amended by adding Section 106.03 to read as follows:
3-5 Sec. 106.03. PAUL QUINN UNIVERSITY. (a) The board of
3-6 regents of Texas Southern University shall operate a coeducational
3-7 institution of higher education in Dallas County to be known as
3-8 Paul Quinn University.
3-9 (b) The university shall be operated as a separate
3-10 degree-granting institution.
3-11 (c) Until the university is included in the funding provided
3-12 by Section 17 or 18, Article VII, Texas Constitution, the
3-13 university is considered to be a part of Texas Southern University
3-14 eligible for the benefits of the funds allocated to Texas Southern
3-15 University under Subchapter B, Chapter 62.
3-16 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-22 passage, and it is so enacted.