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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 system health center by a |
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university system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter I to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER I. SYSTEM HEALTH CENTERS |
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Sec. 51.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "General academic teaching institution," |
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"governing board," "institution of higher education," and |
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"university system" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. |
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Sec. 51.452. SYSTEM HEALTH CENTER. A system health center |
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integrates biomedical and clinical research, patient care |
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services, and predoctoral and postdoctoral teaching provided by |
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participating institutions, schools, and programs. |
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Sec. 51.453. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The governing board of a |
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university system may establish a system health center consisting |
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of institutions of higher education under the board's control and |
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direction if the system meets the criteria provided by this |
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subchapter, as determined by the coordinating board. |
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(b) The educational programs of a system health center must |
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be offered primarily by a single institution of higher education |
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and, together with patient care services, must be provided |
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primarily within the geographic region designated by the governing |
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board. |
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(c) Each of the following must offer substantial |
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educational programs through the system health center: |
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(1) one or more allopathic or osteopathic medical |
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schools, each of which must administer residency programs in not |
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fewer than three medical specialties within the center; |
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(2) two or more health professional schools or |
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programs, such as nursing, public health, or pharmacy schools or |
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programs; |
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(3) one or more undergraduate degree programs of a |
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general academic teaching institution; and |
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(4) one or more graduate degree programs of a general |
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academic teaching institution. |
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Sec. 51.454. DEMONSTRATION OF NEED AND SUPPORT. (a) The |
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coordinating board shall approve the establishment of a system |
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health center under Section 51.453 if the coordinating board finds |
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that the university system seeking to establish the center has |
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demonstrated: |
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(1) a need for the center based on applicable |
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statewide and regional factors, including: |
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(A) demographic factors such as: |
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(i) age, income, and health condition; and |
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(ii) rate of persons without health care |
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coverage; and |
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(B) present or predicted physician-to-population |
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ratios or physician shortages in identified specialties; |
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(2) the center's access to a teaching hospital and |
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other facilities adequate to support the center's research, |
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education, and clinical activities, considering the proximity and |
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availability of existing complementary facilities and programs; |
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(3) the center's capacity to expend in the aggregate a |
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minimum of $50 million annually in federally sponsored or privately |
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sponsored research, as evidenced by the research contracts of |
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participating institutions, provided that programs of the center |
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will participate in those contracts; |
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(4) community support for the center from a |
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combination of state and local governments, charities, chambers of |
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commerce, hospitals, and medical societies, as evidenced by |
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commitments of financial and other resources with an aggregate |
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value of at least $35 million; and |
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(5) a well-defined business plan that includes |
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identified financial resources estimated to be sufficient for the |
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ongoing support of the center, including support for medical |
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residencies. |
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(b) Health condition information considered under |
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Subsection (a)(1)(A)(i) may include health condition information |
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relating to rates of disabilities, infant mortality, obesity, or |
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diabetes or other chronic conditions. |
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Sec. 51.455. EFFECT ON FORMULA FUNDING. For purposes of the |
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appropriation formulas recommended by the coordinating board under |
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Section 61.059, a student of an educational program offered by a |
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system health center is considered to be a student of a |
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health-related institution to the extent that formula funding of |
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health-related institutions applies to the discipline in which the |
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student is enrolled. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |
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