Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Hinojosa                                     H.B. No. 1557

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the establishment of a Regional Academic Health Center.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Title 3, Chapter 74, Texas Education Code,

 1-5     74.701-74.705 are added to read as follows:

 1-6            SUBCHAPTER L.  REGIONAL ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER TO BE

 1-7                 ESTABLISHED AND LOCATED BY BOARD OF REGENTS

 1-8           Sec. 74.701.  Establishment and Location; Name; Scope.  The

 1-9     University of Texas System Board of Regents may establish a

1-10     Regional Academic Health Center, and execute and carry out

1-11     affiliation or coordinating agreements with any other entity or

1-12     institution in the four county Lower Rio Grande Valley area

1-13     (Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy) to provide clinical,

1-14     postgraduate, including internship and residency, or other levels

1-15     of medical professional education for The Regional Academic Health

1-16     Center.  The Board of Regents may assign responsibility for

1-17     management of the Regional Academic Health Center to any of The

1-18     University of Texas component health institutions.

1-19           Sec. 74.702.  Physical Facilities.  The board shall make

1-20     provision for adequate physical facilities for use by The Regional

1-21     Academic Health Center, including library, auditorium, research

1-22     facilities and medical education buildings, for use by The Regional

1-23     Academic Health Center in its teaching and research programs.

1-24     Funds for construction of the facilities may include, but not be

 2-1     limited to, general revenue appropriations and tuition revenue

 2-2     bonds.

 2-3           Sec. 74.703.  Grants and Gifts.  The board, in its

 2-4     discretion, may accept and administer grants and gifts from any

 2-5     governmental entity, foundation, trust fund, corporation, or

 2-6     individual for the use and benefits of The Regional Academic Health

 2-7     Center.

 2-8           Sec. 74.704.  Teaching Hospital.  A teaching hospital or

 2-9     hospitals for The Regional Academic Health Center shall be

2-10     furnished at no cost or expense to the state.  The state may not

2-11     contribute any funds for the construction, maintenance, or

2-12     operation of a teaching hospital for The Regional Academic Health

2-13     Center.

2-14           Sec. 74.705.  Supervision by The Texas Higher Education

2-15     Coordinating Board.  The Regional Academic Health Center is subject

2-16     to the continuing supervision of and to the rules and regulations

2-17     of The Texas Education Coordinating Board, as provided by Chapter

2-18     61 of this code.

2-19           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-25     passage, and it is so enacted.