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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a law school in the city of Dallas |
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by the University of North Texas System. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 105, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 105.502 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, 2010, 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. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 55.1775 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 55.1775. 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, 2012, 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 3. 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, 2009. |