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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study regarding establishing a public medical school |
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as a professional school of Texas Southern University. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. FEASIBILITY STUDY. (a) The president of Texas |
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Southern University shall designate a department or entity at the |
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university to conduct a study to examine the need for and |
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feasibility of establishing a school of medicine as a professional |
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school of Texas Southern University. The department or entity may |
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seek the assistance of outside experts or consultants, as |
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necessary. |
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(b) The study must: |
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(1) assess the need for establishing an institution |
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described by Subsection (a) of this section; |
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(2) include a financial plan for establishing an |
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institution described by Subsection (a) of this section, including |
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the cost associated with establishing the institution; |
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(3) examine the feasibility of establishing an |
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institution described by Subsection (a) of this section, including |
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the projected timeline for accreditation of the institution; and |
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(4) assess how Texas Southern University, when |
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compared to other public universities in this state, is better |
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suited to develop programs to address the following issues as they |
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appear in urban areas of this state: |
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(A) gaps in health care affecting urban |
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populations; |
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(B) ease of access to health care in different |
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locations of an urban area; |
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(C) disparities in the health of various |
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populations in an urban area; |
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(D) maternal mortality; and |
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(E) any other medical issue affecting the |
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provision of health care in urban areas of this state. |
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SECTION 2. REPORT. (a) The department or entity at Texas |
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Southern University designated to conduct the study under Section 1 |
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of this Act shall prepare a written report summarizing the results |
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of the study. The report must also: |
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(1) identify the challenges related to establishing a |
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school of medicine as a professional school of Texas Southern |
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University; |
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(2) include recommendations for legislative or other |
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action; and |
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(3) include any other matter the department or entity |
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considers appropriate. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2026, the department or |
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entity described by Subsection (a) of this section shall submit the |
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report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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SECTION 3. FUNDING. The department or entity at Texas |
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Southern University designated to conduct the study under Section 1 |
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of this Act may use money appropriated by the legislature or |
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otherwise available for the purpose to pay for any costs associated |
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with conducting the study and with preparing the report required by |
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Section 2 of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires December 1, 2026. |
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2025. |