BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
H.B. 1913 |
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85R5295 SRS-F |
By: Geren (Nelson) |
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Higher Education |
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5/9/2017 |
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Engrossed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Unlike other governing boards of Texas public institutions of higher education, the University of North Texas System Board of Regents has two statutory provisions that apply inequitable limitations on the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (UNTHSC).
The first provision limits the qualifications for the leadership position at UNTHSC, by stipulating that the president of UNTHSC must be a licensed physician with a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) degree from an accredited college of osteopathic medicine.
The second provision restricts the degrees that can be awarded by UNTHSC to only doctor of osteopathy degrees.
H.B. 1913 repeals both provisions, thereby allowing the president of UNTHSC to be someone other than a doctor of osteopathic medicine and allowing UNTHSC to offer both doctor of osteopathy and doctor of medicine (M.D.) degrees.
H.B. 1913 amends current law relating to the required qualifications for serving as president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth and to the prohibition against the award of certain degrees by the center's governing board.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 105.102(b), Education Code, to delete existing text requiring the president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (president) to be a licensed physician who possesses a doctor of osteopathy degree from an accredited college of osteopathic medicine and requiring the president to have been licensed to practice medicine in a state of the United States for at least five years.
SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 105.402 (Prohibited Degrees), Education Code.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.