87R2545 KEL-D
 
  By: Martinez, Canales, Muñoz, Jr., Lucio III, H.B. No. 695
      et al.
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio
  Grande Valley.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.0905 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.0905.  RIO GRANDE VALLEY SCHOOL OF LAW. (a)  The
  governing board of a university system may establish and operate,
  as a professional school of the system, a school of law in Cameron
  County or Hidalgo County as the governing board considers
  appropriate.
         (b)  In administering the law school, the governing board may
  prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other
  leading American schools of law and may award those degrees.
         (c)  The governing board may assign responsibility for the
  management of the law school to a general academic teaching
  institution in the university system.
         (d)  The governing board may accept and administer gifts and
  grants from any public or private person or entity for the use and
  benefit of the law school.  Notwithstanding any other provision of
  this section, establishment of a law school under this section is
  subject to the availability of funding, either through
  appropriation or from another source.
         (e)  The governing board of a university system that intends
  to establish a law school under this section shall notify the Texas
  Higher Education Coordinating Board. If the coordinating board
  receives notification under this subsection from more than one
  governing board, the coordinating board shall determine which of
  those governing boards may establish a law school under this
  section.  The coordinating board must base the determination on the
  need for a law school in a geographic area, potential student
  demand, available system resources, the feasibility of the specific
  proposal of each system, and other criteria the coordinating board
  considers appropriate.
         (f)  Before the governing board establishes a law school
  under this section, the governing board shall request the
  coordinating board to prepare a feasibility study to determine the
  actions the system must take to obtain accreditation of the law
  school. The coordinating board shall deliver a copy of the study to
  the governing board and to the chair of each legislative standing
  committee with jurisdiction over higher education.
         SECTION 2.  For the purposes of Section 61.0905, Education
  Code, as added by this Act, no state funds may be appropriated for a
  state fiscal biennium ending on or before August 31, 2027.
         SECTION 3.  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, 2021.