HBA-KMH S.B. 590 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 590
By: Truan
Higher Education
5/7/1999
Engrossed

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the Texas A&M University System operates a number of health
related facilities.  Citizens of the Coastal Bend Area of Texas have
identified unmet needs in the areas of general family and child health
issues and environmental issues such as waste disposal and water quality.
S.B. 590 requires the establishment of the Texas A&M University System
Coastal Bend Health Education Center and provides guidelines for its
operation. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 86, Education Code, by adding Subchapter F, as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER F.  THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM COASTAL BEND
HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER

Sec. 86.91. DEFINITIONS.  Defines "board" and "center."

Sec. 86.92. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER.  Requires the board of regents of the
Texas A&M University System (board) to establish the Texas A&M University
System Coastal Bend Health Education Center (center). 

Sec. 86.93. ROLE AND SCOPE OF CENTER. Requires the center to provide
communitybased instructional sites for the education of health care
professionals.  Authorizes the center to include certain institutions for
participation in its programs.  Authorizes the center to operate
educational facilities located throughout the Coastal Bend Area determined
appropriate by the board.  Authorizes the board to execute and carry out
certain agreements with certain entities to establish and operate the
center. 

Sec. 86.94. MANAGEMENT OF CENTER. Requires the board to assign management
responsibility of the center to the Texas A&M University System Health
Science Center. Requires the operating costs of the center to be paid from
operating funds of the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center or
other participating entities. 

Sec. 86.95. AREAS OF CENTER EDUCATION. Authorizes the center to provide
undergraduate and graduate clinical education, or certain other levels of
health care education work, in an area determined appropriate by the board.
Authorizes the center to utilize community outreach programs and conduct
research programs in areas of education provided by the center or public
health issues arising in the area of the center. 

Sec. 86.96. GIFTS AND GRANTS. Authorizes the board to solicit, accept, and
administer gifts and grants from any public or private person or entity for
the benefit of the center. 

Sec. 86.97. COORDINATING BOARD SUPERVISION.  Subjects the center to the
supervision and rules of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
under Chapter 61 (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board). 
 
SECTION 2. Requires the board to implement this Act only if the legislature
appropriates money specifically for that purpose.  Authorizes the board to
implement this Act using other appropriations available for that purpose,
if the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for the purpose. 

SECTION 3. Requires the board of regents of the Texas A&M University System
to establish and operate the Texas A&M University System Coastal Bend
Health Education Center no later than January 1, 2001. 

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.