By Pickett H.B. No. 2025
76R7715 CAG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment and operation of the Border Health
1-3 Institute.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Chapter 151 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 151. BORDER HEALTH INSTITUTE
1-8 Sec. 151.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "institute"
1-9 means the Border Health Institute.
1-10 Sec. 151.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. (a) The Border
1-11 Health Institute is established in the city of El Paso.
1-12 (b) The institute shall operate in a manner that facilitates
1-13 or assists the activities of international, national, regional, or
1-14 local health-related institutions working in the Texas-Mexico
1-15 border region to:
1-16 (1) deliver health care or provide health education to
1-17 persons living in the border region; and
1-18 (2) conduct research in fields of study affecting
1-19 public health in the border region, including research related to
1-20 infectious diseases, diabetes, environmental health issues, and
1-21 children's health issues.
1-22 Sec. 151.003. INSTITUTE MEMBERSHIP. (a) The institute is
1-23 initially composed of the following institutions:
1-24 (1) The University of Texas at El Paso;
2-1 (2) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El
2-2 Paso;
2-3 (3) El Paso Community College District;
2-4 (4) R.E. Thomason General Hospital;
2-5 (5) El Paso City/County Health District;
2-6 (6) The University of Texas Health Science Center at
2-7 Houston, School of Public Health; and
2-8 (7) the Texas Department of Health.
2-9 (b) The governing board of the institute may adopt
2-10 procedures for allowing additional entities to become members of
2-11 the institute.
2-12 Sec. 151.004. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The governing body of
2-13 the institute is composed of the chief executive officer of each
2-14 entity that is a member of the institute or the officer's designee.
2-15 (b) The governing board of the institute is responsible for
2-16 the operation of the institute. The board shall adopt rules
2-17 relating to:
2-18 (1) the operation and deliberations of the governing
2-19 board; and
2-20 (2) the operation of the institute.
2-21 (c) The governing board may employ an executive director of
2-22 the institute and any other officer or employee necessary for the
2-23 operation of the institute.
2-24 (d) The governing board shall meet, at least once a year, to
2-25 review the progress of the institute and to determine the
2-26 institute's actions in the next year.
2-27 Sec. 151.005. FUNDING. (a) In addition to any amount
3-1 appropriated by the legislature, the institute may apply for and
3-2 accept funds from the federal government or any other public or
3-3 private entity. The institute or any member of the institute may
3-4 also solicit and accept pledges, gifts, and endowments from private
3-5 sources on the institute's behalf.
3-6 (b) The governing board shall manage and approve all
3-7 disbursements of appropriations, funds, pledges, gifts, and
3-8 endowments.
3-9 (c) The governing board shall manage any capital
3-10 improvements constructed by the institute and any real property
3-11 acquired by the institute.
3-12 Sec. 151.006. ANNUAL REPORTING. The institute shall
3-13 provide to each member of the governing board of the institute an
3-14 annual audited financial statement and a status report of each
3-15 project undertaken by the institute.
3-16 SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2001, the Texas Higher
3-17 Education Coordinating Board shall prepare an impact statement
3-18 examining the initial implementation of this Act and shall deliver
3-19 a copy of the statement to the chair of each legislative committee
3-20 with primary jurisdiction over higher education or border health
3-21 issues.
3-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-27 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-1 passage, and it is so enacted.