BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 884
	By: Zaffirini
	Higher Education
	6/2/2021
	Enrolled

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Regional Campus at Laredo (RCL) is a satellite campus operated by The University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSC-San Antonio) to provide health education, conduct research, and perform critical outreach in one of the most medically underserved communities in Texas. Throughout its 20-plus year history, however, the campus has been underutilized, an issue that stems from volatile programming, insufficient funding, and inconsistent prioritization.

 

A detailed review of the campus during 2019-20 by The UT System found that the campus could better accomplish its mission as a multi-institution center operated at the system level, at which not only UTHSC-San Antonio but also other UT System and even Texas A&M University System institutions could host educational, clinical, and research-based programs.

 

S.B. 884 would formalize this process by re-establishing the RCL as a multi-institution center operated by The UT System and transferring management and funding responsibilities for the center from UTHSC-San Antonio to The UT System.

 

The substitute corrects drafting errors, changes additional references to "satellite campus" to "center" that were not included in the bill as filed, and codifies the center's original and continuing purpose.

 

S.B. 884 amends current law relating to the management and operation by The University of Texas System of a multi-institution center in the city of Laredo.

 

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 the heading to Subchapter M, Chapter 74, Education Code, to read as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER M. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM MULTI-INSTITUTION CENTER

IN LAREDO

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 74.701, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 74.701. New heading: AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH CENTER. Requires the board of regents of The University of Texas (UT) System (board of regents) to establish and operate a multi‑institution center (center), rather than establish and operate a campus extension of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSC-San Antonio), in the city of Laredo if:

 

(1) a public or private entity offers the board of regents sufficient land in that city to construct a center, rather than a campus extension; and

 

(2) public or private entities agree to provide funds necessary to construct an administrative building for the center, rather than for the campus extension.

 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 74.702, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 74.702. New heading: MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF CENTER. (a) Authorizes the board of regents to exercise any power granted to the board under Subchapter D (The University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio) in establishing and operating the center, rather than in establishing and operating the campus extension.

 

(b) Authorizes the board of regents to assign responsibility for management of the center to a component institution of The UT System. Deletes existing text requiring the board of regents to assign responsibility for management of the campus extension to UTHSC-San Antonio.

 

(c) Requires that the operating costs of the center be paid from available funds from any public or private entity. Deletes existing text requiring that the operating costs of the campus extension be paid from the operating funds of UTHSC‑San Antonio for that purpose and from available funds from any public or private entity.

 

(d) Provides that the primary purpose of the center is to host, rather than support, educational activities, conduct and facilitate research, and engage in community outreach. Authorizes component institutions of The UT System to use the center in accordance with its primary purpose to provide undergraduate and graduate medical and dental education, including residency training programs, and other levels of health education work in collaboration with any public institution of higher education considered appropriate by the board of regents. Deletes existing text authorizing use of the campus extension to provide undergraduate and graduate medical and dental education, including residency training programs, and other levels of health education work in collaboration with Texas A&M International University or any component institution of The Texas A&M University System or The UT System.

 

SECTION 4. Amends Section 74.703, Education Code, to make conforming changes.

 

SECTION 5. Amends Section 74.704(a), Education Code, to make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. �

 

SECTION 6. Amends Section 63.102(c), Education Code, to authorize use of an amount appropriated from the funds established for the component institutions of The UT System to maintain, operate, and conduct health education programs and other related work at The UT System's center in the city of Laredo. Deletes existing text referring to the campus extension.

 

SECTION 7. Repealer: Section 74.705 (Coordinating Board Supervision), Education Code.

 

SECTION 8. Effective date: September 1, 2021.