HBA-EDN H.B. 2521 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2521
By: Wilson
Higher Education
3/26/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

African-Americans and other minorities still enroll in medical schools in
unequal numbers.  As we become a more culturally diverse nation, we have to
address the needs of minority students in order to provide an avenue into
professional schools for these students.  House Bill 2521 establishes a
medical school at Prairie View A&M University.       

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 2521 amends the Education Code to establish a medical school at
Prairie View A&M University.  The bill requires the board of regents of The
Texas A&M University System (board of regents) to establish no later than
the 2003-2004 academic year and maintain the Prairie View A&M University
Medical School as a medical and dental unit within Prairie View A&M
University.  The bill authorizes the board of regents to: 

_prescribe courses at the medical school leading to degrees customarily
offered in other leading American medical schools; 

_award the degrees described above; and 

_adopt rules for the operation, control, and management of the Prairie View
A&M University Medical School, as necessary for the operation of a first
class medical school, including rules governing the number of students that
may be admitted to any program in the medical school.    

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.