HBA-JLV H.B. 1210 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1210 By: Garcia Higher Education 3/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Dallas/Fort Worth multi-county metroplex is the most populous region in the State of Texas, yet there is currently not a state-supported law school in the area. By contrast, the Houston metropolitan area has two state-supported schools of law. House Bill 1210 requires the board of regents of the University of North Texas to establish and maintain a school of law, and requires that the school of law be located within the city limits of Dallas. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1210 amends the Education Code to require the board of regents of the University of North Texas to establish and maintain a school of law as a professional school of the University of North Texas not later than September 1, 2003. The bill authorizes the board of regents to prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other leading American schools of law and to award those degrees. The bill requires the school of law to be located in the city of Dallas. If the University of North Texas maintains a campus in the city of Dallas, the school of law is required to be located at that campus. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.