BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1794

By: Schaefer

Appropriations

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The health care industry has experienced an unprecedented challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the hardship, Texas has recognized the importance of a well-trained and fully staffed health care system. Pharmacies are an integral aspect of the industry and a key resource in providing lifesaving medications to Texans of all ages. There are currently eight pharmacy schools across multiple university systems in Texas. Under current law, funding for the pharmacy school at The University of Texas at Tyler can be allocated at the discretion of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), but the pharmacy school at UT Tyler does not receive funding through the state's formula funding model. C.S.H.B. 1794 seeks to ensure equitable funding between the pharmacy school at UT Tyler and the other pharmacy schools in the state by providing for the school's eligibility for funding under applicable formulas established by the THECB.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1794 makes the school of pharmacy at The University of Texas at Tyler eligible for funding under formulas established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for instruction, operations, or infrastructure by repealing Section 76.026(c), Education Code, which establishes the school's ineligibility for such funding under those formulas.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1794 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

Both the substitute and the introduced provide for the eligibility of the pharmacy school at UT Tyler to receive formula funding but they do it in different ways. Whereas the substitute repeals the entire provision of current law making the school ineligible for such funding, the introduced revised the specific language from the provision of current law establishing that ineligibility and incorporated new language in that provision establishing that the board of regent's provision for the operations and capital expenses of the school, which are to be supported by tuition, gifts, grants and other institutional or system funds available for that purpose, does not affect the eligibility of the school for the formula funding.