By: Zaffirini  S.B. No. 884
         (In the Senate - Filed March 1, 2021; March 11, 2021, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
  March 29, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 29, 2021,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 884 By:  Taylor
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the management and operation by The University of Texas
  System of a multi-institution center in the city of Laredo.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Subchapter M, Chapter 74,
  Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER M. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM MULTI-INSTITUTION [HEALTH
  SCIENCE] CENTER IN LAREDO [AT SAN ANTONIO CAMPUS EXTENSION]
         SECTION 2.  Section 74.701, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 74.701.  AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH CENTER [CAMPUS
  EXTENSION]. The board of regents of The University of Texas System
  shall establish and operate a multi-institution center [campus
  extension of The University of Texas Health Science Center at 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 [campus
  extension]; and
               (2)  public or private entities agree to provide funds
  necessary to construct an administrative building for the center
  [campus extension].
         SECTION 3.  Section 74.702, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 74.702.  MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF CENTER [CAMPUS
  EXTENSION]. (a) The board of regents may exercise any power
  granted to the board under Subchapter D in establishing and
  operating the center [campus extension].
         (b)  The board of regents may [shall] assign responsibility
  for management of the center to a component institution of the
  system [campus extension to The University of Texas Health Science
  Center at San Antonio].
         (c)  The operating costs of the center [campus extension]
  shall be paid from [the operating funds of The University of Texas
  Health Science Center at San Antonio for that purpose and from]
  available funds from any public or private entity.
         (d)  The primary purpose of the center [campus extension] is
  to host [support] educational activities, conduct and facilitate
  research, and engage in community outreach. Component institutions
  of the system may use the center in accordance with its primary
  purpose [The campus extension may be used] 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 [Texas A&M
  International University or any component institution of The Texas
  A&M University System or The University of Texas System].
         SECTION 4.  Section 74.703, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 74.703.  GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board of regents may
  accept and administer gifts and grants from any public or private
  person or entity for the use and benefit of the center [campus
  extension], including accepting and administering gifts and grants
  of land and physical facilities.
         SECTION 5.  Section 74.704(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The physical facilities of the center [campus
  extension] used in teaching and research programs, including
  libraries, auditoriums, research facilities, and health education
  buildings, may be provided by a public or private entity. The board
  of regents may [is authorized to] lease the facilities that are to
  be used as the physical facilities of the center [campus
  extension].
         SECTION 6.  Section 63.102(c), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  The amount available for distribution from each fund may
  be appropriated only for research and other programs that are
  conducted by the institution or components for which the fund is
  established and that benefit the public health. The comptroller or
  the governing board shall report to the legislature the amount of
  funds that are eligible for appropriation. An amount appropriated
  from the fund established for The University of Texas Health
  Science Center at San Antonio may be used to establish, maintain,
  and operate a children's cancer center. An amount appropriated
  from the funds established for the component institutions of The
  University of Texas System may be used to maintain, operate, and
  conduct health education programs and other related work at the
  system's multi-institution center [and the campus extension] in the
  city of Laredo. An amount appropriated from the funds established
  for the components of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences
  Center located in El Paso and for The University of Texas at El Paso
  may be used for the establishment and operation of an institute of
  public health in El Paso. An amount appropriated from the fund
  established for the components of the Texas Tech University Health
  Sciences Center at locations other than El Paso may be used for
  research and other programs that benefit the public health in areas
  outside El Paso. An amount appropriated from the fund established
  for The Texas A&M University Health Science Center may be used for
  the establishment and operation of the Coastal Bend Health
  Education Center in Corpus Christi.
         SECTION 7.  Section 74.705, Education Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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