By: Zerwas, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Huffman) H.B. No. 826
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 3, 2019;
  April 4, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
  Education; April 16, 2019, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 16, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the creation of the University of Houston College of
  Medicine at the University of Houston.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 111, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER K.  UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
         Sec. 111.151.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Board" means the board of regents of the
  University of Houston System.
               (2)  "College" means the University of Houston College
  of Medicine established under this subchapter.
         Sec. 111.152.  THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COLLEGE OF
  MEDICINE. The University of Houston College of Medicine is a
  college of the University of Houston and is under the management and
  control of the board with degrees offered under the name and
  authority of the University of Houston.
         Sec. 111.153.  COURSES AND DEGREES. The board may prescribe
  courses leading to customary degrees and may adopt rules for the
  operation, control, and management of the college as necessary for
  conducting a college of medicine of the first class.
         Sec. 111.154.  AFFILIATION AGREEMENTS. The dean of the
  college, on behalf of the board, may execute and carry out an
  affiliation or coordinating agreement with any other entity or
  institution in the college's region.
         Sec. 111.155.  GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board may solicit,
  accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private
  source for the use and benefit of the college.
         Sec. 111.156.  OTHER FACILITIES. In addition to the
  college's facilities, the board may enter into agreements under
  which additional facilities used in the college's teaching and
  research programs, including libraries, auditoriums, research
  facilities, and medical education buildings, may be provided by a
  public or private entity.
         Sec. 111.157.  TEACHING HOSPITAL. A teaching hospital
  considered suitable by the board may be provided by a public or
  private entity. The hospital may not be constructed, maintained, or
  operated with state funds.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 59.01(1) and (3), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
               (1)  "Medical staff or students" means medical doctors,
  doctors of osteopathy, dentists, veterinarians, and podiatrists
  appointed to the faculty or professional medical staff employed for
  student health services by The University of Texas System, The
  Texas A&M University System, the Texas Tech University System, the
  University of Houston College of Medicine, or the University of
  North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, either full time or
  who, although appointed less than full time (including volunteers),
  either devote their total professional service to such appointment
  or provide services to patients by assignment from the department
  chairman; and interns, residents, fellows, and medical or dental
  students, veterinary students, and students of osteopathy
  participating in a patient-care program in The University of Texas
  System, The Texas A&M University System, the Texas Tech University
  System, the University of Houston College of Medicine, or the
  University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.
               (3)  "Board" means the board of regents of The
  University of Texas System, the board of regents of The Texas A&M
  University System, the board of regents of the Texas Tech
  University System, the board of regents of the University of
  Houston System, or the board of regents of the University of North
  Texas.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 59.02(a) and (c), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Each board may establish a separate self-insurance fund
  to pay any damages adjudged in a court of competent jurisdiction or
  a settlement of any medical malpractice claim against a member of
  the medical staff or students arising from the exercise of the
  member's [his] appointment, duties, or training with The University
  of Texas System, The Texas A&M University System, the Texas Tech
  University System, the University of Houston College of Medicine,
  or the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort
  Worth.
         (c)  On the establishment of each fund, transfers to the fund
  shall be made in an amount and at such intervals as determined by
  the board.  Each board may receive and accept any gifts or
  donations specified for the purposes of this subchapter and deposit
  those gifts or donations into the fund.  Each board may invest
  money deposited in the fund, and any income received shall be
  retained in the fund.  The money shall be deposited in any of the
  approved depository banks of The University of Texas System, The
  Texas A&M University System, the Texas Tech University System, the
  University of Houston System, or the University of North Texas
  Health Science Center at Fort Worth.  All expenditures from the
  funds shall be paid pursuant to approval by the boards.
         SECTION 4.  Section 59.06, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 59.06.  LIMITATION ON APPROPRIATED FUNDS.  Funds
  appropriated by the legislature to either system, to the Texas Tech
  University Health Sciences Center, to the Texas Tech University
  Health Sciences Center at El Paso, to the University of Houston for
  the University of Houston College of Medicine, or to the University
  of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth from the General
  Revenue Fund may not be used to establish or maintain the fund, to
  purchase insurance, or to employ private legal counsel.
         SECTION 5.  Section 61.003(5), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
               (5)  "Medical and dental unit" means The Texas A&M
  University System Health Science Center and its component
  institutions, agencies, and programs; the Texas Tech University
  Health Sciences Center; the Texas Tech University Health Sciences
  Center at El Paso; the University of Houston College of Medicine;
  The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; The University
  of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; The University of Texas
  Medical School at San Antonio; The University of Texas Dental
  Branch at Houston; The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
  Center; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical
  Sciences at Houston; The University of Texas Dental School at San
  Antonio; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; The
  University of Texas Health Science Center--South Texas and its
  component institutions, if established under Subchapter N, Chapter
  74; the nursing institutions of The Texas A&M University System and
  The University of Texas System; and The University of Texas School
  of Public Health at Houston; and such other medical or dental
  schools as may be established by statute or as provided in this
  chapter.
         SECTION 6.  Section 61.501(1), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
               (1)  "Medical school" means the medical school at The
  University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the medical
  school at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the
  medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center at
  San Antonio, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston,
  the medical school at The University of Texas at Austin, the medical
  school at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the medical
  education program of The University of Texas Health Science Center
  at Tyler, the medical school at the Texas Tech University Health
  Sciences Center, the medical school at the Texas Tech University
  Health Sciences Center at El Paso, the University of Houston
  College of Medicine, the Baylor College of Medicine, the college of
  osteopathic medicine at the University of North Texas Health
  Science Center at Fort Worth, or the medical school at the Texas A&M
  University Health Science Center.
         SECTION 7.  Section 63.002(c), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  The amount available for distribution from the fund may
  be appropriated only for programs that benefit medical research,
  health education, or treatment programs at the following
  health-related institutions of higher education:
               (1)  The University of Texas Health Science Center at
  San Antonio;
               (2)  The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
  Center;
               (3)  The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
  Center;
               (4)  The University of Texas Medical Branch at
  Galveston;
               (5)  The University of Texas Health Science Center at
  Houston;
               (6)  The University of Texas Health Science Center at
  Tyler;
               (7)  The University of Texas Health Science
  Center--South Texas and its component institutions, if established
  under Subchapter N, Chapter 74;
               (8)  The Texas A&M University Health Science Center;
               (9)  the University of North Texas Health Science
  Center at Fort Worth;
               (10)  the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center;
               (11)  the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
  at El Paso; [and]
               (12)  the University of Houston College of Medicine;
  and
               (13)  Baylor College of Medicine, if a contract between
  Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board is in effect under Section 61.092.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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