By: Guerra, Muñoz, Jr., Gamez, Longoria, H.B. No. 2171
      Canales, et al.
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of the Texas Center for Rural Health
  Education at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 79, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Section 79.11 to read as follows:
         Sec. 79.11.  TEXAS CENTER FOR RURAL HEALTH EDUCATION. (a)  
  In this section, "center" means the Texas Center for Rural Health
  Education.
         (b)  The Texas Center for Rural Health Education is
  established at the university.
         (c)  The organization, control, and management of the center
  are vested in the board.
         (d)  Subject to the availability of money appropriated,
  gifted, or granted for the purposes of the center, the center shall:
               (1)  perform an initial assessment of rural health
  education in this state;
               (2)  develop appropriate performance metrics to
  measure improvement in rural health education and health care
  outcomes;
               (3)  conduct research regarding rural health
  education, including research to identify:
                     (A)  best practices in rural health education; and
                     (B)  underserved rural areas;
               (4)  develop recommendations regarding the allocation
  of funding for tuition and loan repayment programs available to
  rural health care professionals;
               (5)  develop partnerships between high schools,
  postsecondary institutions of higher education, and local medical
  systems to recruit, train, and retain health care professionals to
  serve in underserved rural areas;
               (6)  develop a plan to improve rural health education
  and health care outcomes; and
               (7)  develop and maintain an Internet website that
  provides information regarding rural health education research and
  resources.
         (e)  Subject to the availability of money appropriated,
  gifted, or granted for the purposes of the center, not later than
  December 1 of each even-numbered year, the center shall submit to
  the legislature a report on rural health education and health care
  outcomes in this state.  The report must include a summary of the
  center's activities under Subsection (d) and any recommendations
  for legislative or other action.
         (f)  The university shall encourage public or private
  entities to participate in or support the operation of the center
  and may enter into an agreement with any public or private entity
  for that purpose. An agreement may allow the center to provide
  information, services, or other assistance to an entity in exchange
  for the entity's participation or support.
         (g)  The board may solicit, accept, and administer gifts and
  grants from any public or private source for the purposes of the
  center.
         (h)  The board may employ personnel for the center as
  necessary.
         (i)  The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this
  section.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2024, the Texas Center
  for Rural Health Education shall submit to the legislature the
  first biennial report required under Section 79.11, Education Code,
  as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.