Bill Text: TX HB53 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio Grande Valley.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-09 - Referred to Higher Education [HB53 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB53-Introduced.html
  82R1992 KJM-D
 
  By: Martinez H.B. No. 53
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio
  Grande Valley.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.0905 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.0905.  RIO GRANDE VALLEY SCHOOL OF LAW. (a) The
  governing board of a university system may establish and operate as
  a professional school of the system a school of law in Cameron
  County or Hidalgo County as the governing board considers
  appropriate.
         (b)  In administering the law school, the governing board may
  prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other
  leading American schools of law and may award those degrees.
         (c)  The governing board may assign responsibility for the
  management of the law school to a general academic teaching
  institution in the university system.
         (d)  The governing board of a university system that intends
  to establish a law school under this section shall notify the
  coordinating board. If the coordinating board receives
  notification under this subsection from more than one governing
  board, the coordinating board shall, based on the need for a law
  school in a geographic area, potential student demand, available
  system resources, the feasibility of the specific proposal of each
  system, and other appropriate criteria, determine which of those
  governing boards may establish a law school under this section.
         (e)  Before the governing board establishes a law school
  under this section, the governing board shall request the
  coordinating board to prepare a feasibility study to determine the
  actions the system must take to obtain accreditation of the law
  school. The coordinating board shall deliver a copy of the study to
  the governing board and to the chair of each legislative standing
  committee with jurisdiction over higher education.
         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, 2011.
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