SRC-CTC H.B. 3469 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3469
By: McClendon (West, Royce)
Education
5/11/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, there is a shortage of physicians in the rural areas of Texas
while the need for medical services in Texas is increasing.  Almost 16
percent of the Texas population resides in rural areas of the state, and
approximately 56,000 people live in counties without a primary care
physician.  There is approximately one primary care physician for every 700
people in the state, but in rural areas the ratio is approximately one
physician for every 1,300 people.  The establishment of a medical school at
Prairie View A&M University could help to address this critical health
need.  H.B. 3469 establishes a medical school at Prairie View A&M
University.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the board of regents of The
Texas A&M University System in SECTION 1 (Section 87.842, Education Code)
of this bill.   

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

H.B. 3469 amends the Education Code to require the board of regents (board)
of The Texas A&M University System to establish and maintain the Prairie
View A&M Medical School (medical school). The bill authorizes the board to
prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered in other leading
American medical schools and to award those degrees.  The bill authorizes
the board to make rules and regulations for the operation, control, and
management of the medical school.  The bill authorizes the board to execute
and carry out affiliation or coordinating agreements with any institution
or entity and to make joint appointments to other institutions in The Texas
A&M University System.  The bill requires the board to develop a plan for
establishing the school, take the necessary steps to establish the medical
school not later than January 1, 2007, and begin admitting students to the
medical school not later than the fall semester of 2008.  

Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.