C.S.H.B. 2802 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 2802
By: Giddings
Higher Education
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

There is a dire shortage of hospital and retail pharmacists nationally, in
Texas and specifically in the north Texas region.  There are approximately
11,000 vacancies for pharmacists nationwide.  U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services statistics show that 35 percent more pharmacists will
be needed than what will be available in 2005.  There are fewer than 100
pharmacy schools nationwide, and only five in Texas, including Texas
A&M-Kingsville, which will not begin offering courses until 2005.  Texas'
existing pharmacy schools are graduating fewer than 400 pharmacists
annually, resulting in Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) projections
estimating Texas will have 430 pharmacist vacancies annually until 2008.   

Prescriptions in the United States are expected to reach 4.3 billion in
2003 compared to 2.3 billion in 2000.  According to the Dallas-Fort Worth
Hospital Council, the region faces a severe shortage of pharmacists
trained at the Pharm.D. level.  Walgreen, Co., the nations largest
drugstore chain is currently opening more than one retail drug store a
day, and is expected to open 12 more in the next one to two years in the
Dallas-Forth Worth region.   

CSHB 2802 establishes a professional school of Pharmacy at the University
of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC).  The UNTHSC School of
Pharmacy will help to alleviate this shortage, expecting to matriculate 35
students in its first year of operation, and increase to 75 students by
the school's third year.  A UNTHSC School of Pharmacy will offer enhanced
basic science and clinical research opportunities, add dual degree
programs and support the participation, success and excellence goals of
the state's Closing the Gaps initiative.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

CSHB 2802 amends Subchapter H, Chapter 105, Education Code, by adding
Section 105.405,  to authorize the board of regents of The University of
North Texas System (board) to establish and maintain a professional school
of pharmacy at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. The
bill provides that if available facilities for the school of pharmacy at
the health science center become insufficient to operate the school, the
board may locate any facility necessary for the permanent operation of the
school of pharmacy on land owned by the system for establishing the
University of North Texas at Dallas, or if that university has been
established, at the university. 
 
CSHB 2802 provides that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall prepare an impact statement examining the initial implementation of
the bill and to deliver a copy of the statement to the board and to the
chair of the standing committee of each house of the legislature with
primary jurisdiction over higher education not later than August 31, 2004. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.


 COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

CSHB 2802 modifies the original to clearly designate the permanent
location of the school of pharmacy at the University of North Texas at
Dallas.