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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. 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) the University of North Texas at Dallas College of |
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Law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 105.151, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c-1) Venue for a suit filed solely against the University |
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of North Texas at Dallas College of Law or against officers or |
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employees of the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law |
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is in Dallas County. |
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(d) In case of a conflict between Subsection (a), (b), [or] |
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(c), or (c-1) and any other law, Subsection (a), (b), [or] (c), or |
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(c-1) controls. |
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SECTION 3. 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 COLLEGE 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: |
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(1) is considered an institution of higher education |
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under Section 61.003 for all purposes under other law; and |
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(2) is entitled to formula funding as if the law school |
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were a professional school of a general academic teaching |
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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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(e) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this |
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section. |
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SECTION 4. If this Act receives a vote of at least |
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two-thirds of the membership of each house of the legislature, the |
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University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law created under |
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Section 105.502, Education Code, as added by this Act, is entitled |
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to participate in the funding provided by Section 17, Article VII, |
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Texas Constitution. |
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SECTION 5. This Act does not make an appropriation. This |
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Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the |
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implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations |
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act of the 81st Legislature. |
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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, 2009. |