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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a health science center and medical school |
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in the Rio Grande Valley. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 74, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter N to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER N. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE |
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CENTER--RIO GRANDE VALLEY |
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Sec. 74.751. HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER. (a) The board of |
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regents of The University of Texas System may operate The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley as a |
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component institution of The University of Texas System with its |
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main campus and administrative offices in the Harlingen |
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metropolitan area. The health science center may consist of a |
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medical school, other health and health-related degree programs, |
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and related programs and facilities as the board considers |
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appropriate, including: |
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(1) research and training facilities at The University |
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of Texas--Pan American and The University of Texas at Brownsville |
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that are used to support the health science center; and |
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(2) additional research programs and facilities in the |
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Edinburg metropolitan area. |
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(b) The board of regents may include facilities located in |
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Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, Willacy, and |
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Zapata Counties in the health science center and may operate |
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programs and activities and provide related services of the center |
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in those counties. |
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(c) The board of regents shall require that courses for the |
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first two years of a degree program preparing students for |
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licensure as physicians that is offered by the health science |
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center be held at The University of Texas at Brownsville. Other |
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courses for the program must be held at the main campus of the |
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health science center except as otherwise necessary to operate the |
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program. |
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Sec. 74.752. PARTICIPATION IN AVAILABLE UNIVERSITY FUND. |
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In accordance with Section 18(c), Article VII, Texas Constitution, |
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if the Act enacting this section receives a vote of two-thirds of |
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all the members elected to each house of the legislature, the |
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institution created under this section is entitled to participate |
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in the funding provided by Section 18, Article VII, Texas |
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Constitution, for The University of Texas System. |
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Sec. 74.753. COURSES AND DEGREES; RULES. The board of |
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regents may prescribe courses leading to customary degrees and may |
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adopt rules for the operation, control, and management of the |
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health science center as may be necessary for the conduct of a |
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medical school and other health science center programs of the |
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first class. |
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Sec. 74.754. AFFILIATION AGREEMENTS; JOINT APPOINTMENTS. |
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(a) The board of regents may execute and carry out affiliation or |
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coordination agreements with any other entity or institution in the |
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region, including The University of Texas--Pan American and The |
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University of Texas at Brownsville, to participate in the health |
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science center. |
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(b) The board of regents may make joint appointments in the |
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health science center and other institutions under the board's |
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governance. The salary of a person who receives a joint appointment |
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shall be apportioned to the appointing institutions on the basis of |
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services rendered. |
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Sec. 74.755. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board of regents may |
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accept and administer gifts and grants from any public or private |
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person or entity for the use and benefit of the health science |
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center. |
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Sec. 74.756. OTHER FACILITIES. In addition to the |
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facilities of the health science center, the board of regents may |
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enter into agreements under which additional facilities used in the |
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center's teaching and research programs, including libraries, |
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auditoriums, research facilities, and medical education buildings, |
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may be provided by a public or private entity. |
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Sec. 74.757. TEACHING HOSPITAL. A teaching hospital |
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considered suitable by the board of regents for the health science |
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center may be provided by a public or private entity. The hospital |
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may not be constructed, maintained, or operated with state funds. |
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Sec. 74.758. COORDINATING BOARD SUPERVISION. The health |
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science center is subject to the continuing supervision of the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Chapter 61 and to |
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the rules of the coordinating board adopted under Chapter 61. |
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Sec. 74.759. EFFECT OF HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER ON RIO GRANDE |
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VALLEY ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER. (a) The board of regents may |
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convert the regional academic health center established under |
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Subchapter L into The University of Texas Health Science |
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Center--Rio Grande Valley and establish a medical school at the |
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health science center as soon as the board considers appropriate |
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considering available resources and the best interests of The |
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University of Texas System and the people of this state and the |
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Lower Rio Grande Valley. In establishing the health science center |
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and medical school, the board of regents shall ensure that the |
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programs, students, and faculty and staff of the regional academic |
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health center are not affected other than as the board considers |
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necessary to implement this subchapter. |
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(b) It is the intent of the legislature that The University |
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of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley be established by |
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conversion of the regional academic health center established under |
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Subchapter L and that those entities be considered to be the same |
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institution. A reference in law to the regional academic health |
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center applies to The University of Texas Health Science |
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Center--Rio Grande Valley to the extent it can be made applicable. |
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All contracts and agreements, including bonds and other financial |
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obligations, entered into by The University of Texas System or any |
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of its officers or employees relating to the regional academic |
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health center apply to The University of Texas Health Science |
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Center--Rio Grande Valley when the health science center is |
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established. |
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(c) The permanent endowment fund established under Section |
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63.101 for the benefit of the regional academic health center |
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established under Subchapter L is transferred to the benefit of The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley when |
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the health science center is established. It is the intent of the |
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legislature that the transfer of the endowment fund be made so as |
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not to interrupt the research or other programs supported by |
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distributions from the fund. |
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SECTION 2. Section 55.1732, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) Bonds authorized or issued under this section for the |
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regional academic health center established under Section 74.611 |
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are considered to have been authorized or issued for The University |
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of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley when that |
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institution is established. |
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SECTION 3. Subdivision (5), Section 61.003, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(5) "Medical and dental unit" means The University of |
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Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; The University of Texas |
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Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; The University of Texas |
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Medical School at San Antonio; The University of Texas Dental |
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Branch at Houston; The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer |
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Center; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical |
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Sciences at Houston; The University of Texas Dental School at San |
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Antonio; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio Grande Valley, if |
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established under Section 74.751; the nursing institutions of The |
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University of Texas System; and The University of Texas School of |
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Public Health at Houston; and such other medical or dental schools |
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as may be established by statute or as provided in this chapter. |
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SECTION 4. Subsection (c), Section 63.002, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(c) The amount available for distribution from the fund may |
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be appropriated only for programs that benefit medical research, |
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health education, or treatment programs at the following |
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health-related institutions of higher education: |
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(1) The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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San Antonio; |
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(2) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer |
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Center; |
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(3) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical |
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Center at Dallas; |
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(4) The University of Texas Medical Branch at |
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Galveston; |
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(5) The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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Houston; |
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(6) The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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Tyler; |
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(7) The University of Texas Health Science Center--Rio |
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Grande Valley, if established under Section 74.751; |
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(8) The Texas A&M University Health Science Center; |
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(9) [(8)] the University of North Texas Health Science |
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Center at Fort Worth; |
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(10) [(9)] the Texas Tech University Health Sciences |
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Center; and |
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(11) [(10)] Baylor College of Medicine, if a contract |
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between Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board is in effect under Section 61.092. |
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SECTION 5. Subsection (a), Section 65.02, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The University of Texas System is composed of the |
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following institutions and entities: |
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(1) The University of Texas at Arlington, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas Institute of Urban |
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Studies at Arlington; and |
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(B) The University of Texas School of Nursing at |
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Arlington; |
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(2) The University of Texas at Austin, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas Marine Science |
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Institute; |
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(B) The University of Texas McDonald Observatory |
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at Mount Locke; and |
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(C) The University of Texas School of Nursing at |
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Austin; |
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(3) The University of Texas at Dallas; |
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(4) The University of Texas at El Paso, including The |
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University of Texas School of Nursing at El Paso; |
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(5) The University of Texas of the Permian Basin; |
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(6) The University of Texas at San Antonio, including |
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the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio; |
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(7) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical |
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Center at Dallas, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical |
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School at Dallas; |
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(B) The University of Texas Southwestern |
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Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Dallas; and |
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(C) The University of Texas Southwestern Allied |
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Health Sciences School at Dallas; |
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(8) The University of Texas Medical Branch at |
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Galveston, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas Medical School at |
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Galveston; |
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(B) The University of Texas Graduate School of |
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Biomedical Sciences at Galveston; |
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(C) The University of Texas School of Allied |
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Health Sciences at Galveston; |
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(D) The University of Texas Marine Biomedical |
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Institute at Galveston; |
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(E) The University of Texas Hospitals at |
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Galveston; and |
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(F) The University of Texas School of Nursing at |
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Galveston; |
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(9) The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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Houston, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas Medical School at |
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Houston; |
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(B) The University of Texas Dental Branch at |
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Houston; |
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(C) The University of Texas Graduate School of |
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Biomedical Sciences at Houston; |
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(D) The University of Texas School of Health |
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Information Sciences at Houston; |
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(E) The University of Texas School of Public |
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Health at Houston; |
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(F) The University of Texas Speech and Hearing |
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Institute at Houston; and |
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(G) The University of Texas School of Nursing at |
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Houston; |
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(10) The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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San Antonio, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas Medical School at San |
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Antonio; |
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(B) The University of Texas Dental School at San |
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Antonio; |
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(C) The University of Texas Graduate School of |
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Biomedical Sciences at San Antonio; |
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(D) The University of Texas School of Allied |
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Health Sciences at San Antonio; and |
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(E) The University of Texas School of Nursing at |
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San Antonio; |
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(11) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer |
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Center, including: |
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(A) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson |
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Hospital; |
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(B) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Tumor |
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Institute; and |
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(C) The University of Texas M. D. Anderson |
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Science Park; and |
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(12) The University of Texas Health Science |
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Center--Rio Grande Valley, if established under Section 74.751. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |