By: Miles S.B. No. 1251

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

Relating to authorizing of joint degrees for certain graduate programs of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 3, Subsection 73.102 Education Code, is amended by adding subsection (3) to read as follows:

Sec. 73.102. PURPOSE; DEGREE PROGRAMS. (a) The institution and its substations shall be devoted to the diagnosis, teaching, study, prevention, and treatment of neoplastic and allied diseases.

(b) If the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board determines that the role and mission of the institution should be changed to include degree-granting authority, the board of regents may:

(1) prescribe courses and conduct allied health professional degree programs related to the purposes of the institution described by Subsection (a); and

(2) jointly prescribe courses and jointly conduct graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels related to those purposes with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; and

(3) jointly prescribe courses and jointly conduct graduate programs with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, including educational programs at the master's and doctoral levels related to the broad fields encompassed in population and public health.

(c) The degree programs to be offered under Subsection (b) are subject to approval by the coordinating board.

SECTION 2. 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.