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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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SECTION 3. Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(6) "Other agency of higher education" means The |
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University of Texas System, System Administration; Texas Western |
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University Museum; Texas A&M University System, Administrative and |
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General Offices; Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; Texas |
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Agricultural Extension Service; Rodent and Predatory Animal |
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Control Service (a part of the Texas Agricultural Extension |
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Service); Texas Engineering Experiment Station (including the |
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Texas Transportation Institute); Texas Engineering Extension |
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Service; Texas Forest Service; Texas Tech University Museum; Texas |
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State University System, System Administration; Sam Houston |
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Memorial Museum; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; Cotton |
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Research Committee of Texas; Water Resources Institute of Texas; |
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Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory; the University of |
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North Texas School of Law; and any other unit, division, |
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institution, or agency which shall be so designated by statute or |
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which may be established to operate as a component part of any |
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public senior college or university, or which may be so classified |
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as provided in this chapter. |
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SECTION 4. 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. |