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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to educational programs and a collaborative educational |
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initiative in the North Texas region. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 105.001, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 105.001. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM. The |
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University of North Texas System is composed of: |
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(1) the University of North Texas; |
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(2) the University of North Texas Health Science |
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Center at Fort Worth; [and] |
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(3) the University of North Texas at Dallas; and |
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(4) any other institution, entity, or program as may |
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be assigned by specific legislative act to the governance, control, |
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jurisdiction, and management of the board of regents of the system, |
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including: |
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(A) professional schools; and |
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(B) programs providing health care provider |
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training and education and health care delivery opportunities. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter J, Chapter 105, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 105.502 and 105.503 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 105.502. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM SCHOOL OF |
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LAW. (a) The board may establish and operate a school of law in |
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the city of Dallas as a professional school of the University of |
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North Texas System. |
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(b) In administering the law school, the board may prescribe |
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courses leading to customary degrees offered at other leading |
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American schools of law and may award those degrees. |
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(c) Until the University of North Texas at Dallas has been |
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administered as a general academic teaching institution for five |
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years, the board shall administer the law school as a professional |
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school of the system. After that period, the law school shall |
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become a professional school of the University of North Texas at |
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Dallas. Until the law school becomes a professional school of the |
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University of North Texas at Dallas, the law school is entitled to |
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formula funding as if the law school were a professional school of a |
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general academic teaching institution. |
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(d) Before the board establishes a law school under this |
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section, but not later than June 1, 2008, the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall prepare a feasibility study to determine |
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the actions the system must take to obtain accreditation of the law |
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school. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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deliver a copy of the study to the chair of each legislative |
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standing committee or subcommittee with jurisdiction over higher |
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education. This subsection expires December 31, 2008. |
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Sec. 105.503. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM SCHOOL OF |
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PHARMACY. (a) The board may establish and operate a school of |
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pharmacy in the city of Dallas as a professional school of the |
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University of North Texas System. |
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(b) In administering the pharmacy school, the board may |
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prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other |
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leading American schools of pharmacy and may award those degrees. |
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(c) Until the University of North Texas at Dallas has been |
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administered as a general academic teaching institution for five |
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years, the board shall administer the school of pharmacy as a |
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professional school of the system. After that period, the school of |
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pharmacy shall become a professional school of the University of |
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North Texas at Dallas. Until the school of pharmacy becomes a |
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professional school of the University of North Texas at Dallas, the |
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school of pharmacy is entitled to formula funding as if the school |
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of pharmacy were a professional school of a general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(d) Before the board establishes a school of pharmacy under |
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this section, but not later than June 1, 2008, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall conduct a study of the initial |
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implementation of this section and of the actions the system has |
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taken or must take to obtain accreditation of the school of |
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pharmacy. The coordinating board shall deliver a copy of the study |
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to the board of regents and to the chair of each legislative |
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standing committee or subcommittee with primary jurisdiction over |
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higher education. This subsection expires December 31, 2008. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 105, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER |
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HEALTH INSTITUTES OF TEXAS |
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Sec. 105.551. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "institute" |
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means the University of North Texas Health Science Center Health |
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Institutes of Texas. |
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Sec. 105.552. ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTE. The board shall |
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establish the University of North Texas Health Science Center |
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Health Institutes of Texas. |
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Sec. 105.553. ROLE AND SCOPE OF INSTITUTE. (a) The |
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institute shall include centers created by the board, including the |
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Texas Center for Health Outcomes, the Texas Center for |
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Translational Research, and the Texas Center for Primary and Rural |
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Care. |
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(b) The institute shall: |
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(1) provide a discovery-to-delivery approach in |
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developing comprehensive solutions for critical health care |
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problems; |
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(2) proactively map health issues based on |
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demographics, mortality and morbidity, and health care use through |
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focused collaboration of researchers, caregivers, and policy |
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makers who are employed by the institute and other entities, |
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enabling the institute to compete for funding from governmental and |
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nongovernmental entities; and |
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(3) build new models for training of health care |
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providers and delivering health care. |
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(c) Any public or private medical, dental, nursing, or other |
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health care or educational institution selected by the institute |
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may participate in institute programs conducted in the geographic |
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area served by the institute. |
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(d) The institute may participate in educational programs |
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determined appropriate by the board. |
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(e) To establish, operate, or participate in the |
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establishment or operation of the institute, the board may execute |
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and carry out one or more affiliation or coordination agreements |
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with any other educational institution or other educational entity |
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in the geographic area served by the institute, including with a |
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traditional or other type of health service provider. |
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Sec. 105.554. MANAGEMENT OF INSTITUTE. (a) The University |
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of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth shall manage the |
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institute. |
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(b) The operating costs of the institute shall be paid from: |
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(1) operating funds of: |
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(A) the University of North Texas Health Science |
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Center at Fort Worth; or |
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(B) any other institution participating in the |
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institute; and |
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(2) available funds of any other public or private |
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entity. |
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Sec. 105.555. EDUCATION PROVIDED. (a) The institute may |
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provide graduate or other levels of health education in the |
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geographic area served by the institute in connection with any |
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component school or college in the University of North Texas |
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System, as the board determines appropriate. |
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(b) The institute, in providing education under this |
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subchapter, may: |
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(1) use community outreach programs to provide persons |
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receiving education at the institute with any necessary experience; |
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and |
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(2) conduct research programs related to: |
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(A) areas in which education or outreach programs |
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are provided by the institute; or |
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(B) public health issues arising in or prevalent |
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in the geographic area served by the institute. |
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Sec. 105.556. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board may solicit, |
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accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private |
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person for the use and benefit of the institute. |
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Sec. 105.557. COORDINATING BOARD SUPERVISION. The |
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institute is subject to the continuing supervision of and rules |
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adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under |
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Chapter 61. |
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Sec. 105.558. ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTE. (a) The board |
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shall establish the institute only if the legislature appropriates |
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money specifically for that purpose. |
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(b) This section expires on the last day of the first state |
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fiscal year for which an appropriation is specifically made to |
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establish the institute. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 55.1765 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 55.1765. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SYSTEM; ADDITIONAL |
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BONDS. (a) In addition to the other authority granted by this |
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subchapter, the board of regents of the University of North Texas |
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System may acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, |
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enlarge, or equip property, buildings, structures, or other |
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facilities, including roads and related infrastructure, for the law |
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school established in the city of Dallas by the University of North |
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Texas System, to be financed by the issuance of bonds in accordance |
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with this subchapter, including bonds issued in accordance with a |
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systemwide revenue financing program and secured as provided by |
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that program, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $30 |
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million. |
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(b) The board of regents may pledge irrevocably to the |
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payment of the bonds authorized by this section all or any part of |
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the revenue funds of an institution, branch, or entity of the |
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University of North Texas System, including student tuition |
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charges. The amount of a pledge made under this subsection may not |
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be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is |
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made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. |
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(c) If sufficient funds are not available to the board of |
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regents to meet its obligations under this section, the board may |
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transfer funds among institutions, branches, and entities of the |
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University of North Texas System to ensure the most equitable and |
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efficient allocation of available resources for each institution, |
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branch, or entity to carry out its duties and purposes. |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the University of North |
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Texas System may not issue bonds under this section for facilities |
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at the law school established by the system until the date that the |
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law school receives provisional or other appropriate accreditation |
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by a recognized accrediting agency, as defined by Section 61.003. |
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If the law school does not receive the provisional or other |
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appropriate accreditation by January 1, 2010, the system's |
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authority to issue bonds for the law school under this section |
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expires on that date. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter A, Chapter 68, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 68.07 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 68.07. WORKFORCE SHORTAGE INITIATIVE. (a) The board |
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shall establish the workforce shortage initiative as a program of |
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the university to increase student interest and enrollment in |
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critical fields having workforce shortages, such as nursing, |
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engineering, and mathematics and science education. |
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SECTION 6. Chapter 70, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 70.05 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 70.05. NANOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING. |
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(a) In this section, "center" means The University of Texas at |
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Dallas Center for Advanced Teaching and Research in Frontiers of |
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Nanotechnology and Biomedical Engineering. |
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(b) The board shall establish The University of Texas at |
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Dallas Center for Advanced Teaching and Research in Frontiers of |
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Nanotechnology and Biomedical Engineering at the university. |
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(c) The center shall engage in appropriate activities to |
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inspire students to study mathematics, science, and engineering by |
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first-hand interactions in laboratories of established researchers |
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in those fields and to advance human health and economic |
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development through research in critically important fields. |
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SECTION 7. 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. |