BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 730

79R6857 JSA-D                                                                                             By: West, Royce et al.

                                                                                                                    S/C on Higher Education

                                                                                                                                            3/10/2005

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is the largest metropolitan region in the United States without a public law school.

 

S.B. 730 authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a feasibility study regarding the creation of the first public law school to be located in Dallas.  The bill authorizes the establishment and operation of a law school to be administered by the board of regents of the University of North Texas System until the University of North Texas at Dallas has been administered as an independent institution of higher education for five years.  After that time, the law school will become a professional school of the University of North Texas at Dallas.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter J, Chapter 105, Education Code, by adding Section 105.502, as follows:

 

Sec. 105.502.  UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM SCHOOL OF LAW.  (a) Authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas System (board) to establish and operate a school of law in Dallas as a professional school of the University of North Texas System (UNT System).

 

(b) Authorizes the board, in administering the law school, to prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other leading American schools of law and to award those degrees.

 

(c) Requires the board to administer the law school as a program of the UNT System, until the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) has been administered as an independent institution of higher education for five years.  Requires the law school, after that period, to become a professional school of UNT Dallas.

 

SECTION 2.  Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (coordinating board), no later than June 1, 2006, to prepare a report regarding the establishment of a law school.  Requires the report to address the feasibility of establishing the law school, the actions required for UNT to acquire accreditation of the law school, and any recommendations the coordinating board has regarding the establishment of the law school.  Requires the coordinating board to deliver a copy of the statement to the board and to specific government officials.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.