HBA-JLV H.B. 1211 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1211 By: Garcia Higher Education 3/12/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, there are few resources for pharmacy instruction in the state and a shortage of pharmacists statewide. There are no private and only four public schools of pharmacy in Texas according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. While Houston has two state supported schools of pharmacy the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex has none. House Bill 1211 establishes a school of pharmacy at the University of North Texas, but specifies that the school of pharmacy be located within the Dallas city limits, rather than in Denton. 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 1211 amends the Education Code to require the board of regents of the University of North Texas to establish and maintain a school of pharmacy 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 pharmacy and to award those degrees. The bill requires the school of pharmacy to be located in Dallas. If the University of North Texas maintains a campus in the city of Dallas, the school of pharmacy is required to be located at that campus. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.