HBA-LJP H.B. 1640 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1640
By: Rangel
Higher Education
6/14/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

According to the 2000 report "Texas-Mexico Border Health Education Needs: A
Report to the 77th 
Legislature" of the Texas Department of Health and the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board, the Texas-Mexico border region (border
region) had a population-to-pharmacist ratio of 1,770:1, which was 32
percent higher than the statewide ratio.  The report contends that the
border's rapid population growth and difficulty in recruiting and retaining
pharmacists, and the lack of an increase in the number of pharmacist
graduates in Texas over the last couple of years, contributed to the
pharmacist shortage in the border region.  Prior to the 77th Legislature,
there were no public pharmacy schools in the border region.  A pharmacy
school in South Texas has been viewed as a possible means to help relieve
the shortage of pharmacists in the border region.  House Bill 1640
authorizes the creation of a professional school of pharmacy at Texas A&M
University-Kingsville. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1640 amends the Education Code to authorize the board of regents
of The Texas A&M University System to establish and maintain a professional
school of pharmacy at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville. 

The bill requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to prepare
an impact statement examining the initial implementation of the bill and to
deliver a copy of the statement to the board and to the chair of the
standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary
jurisdiction over higher education. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

May 24, 2001.