Bill Text: TX HB2171 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Center for Rural Health Education at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-16 - Referred to s/c on Higher Education by Pres [HB2171 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2171-Engrossed.html
| By: Guerra, Muñoz, Jr., Gamez, Longoria, | H.B. No. 2171 | |
| Canales, et al. | ||
|
|
||
|
|
||
| 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. | ||
