87R2545 KEL-D     By: Martinez H.B. No. 695       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 may accept and administer gifts and   grants from any public or private person or entity for the use and   benefit of the law school.  Notwithstanding any other provision of   this section, establishment of a law school under this section is   subject to the availability of funding, either through   appropriation or from another source.          (e)  The governing board of a university system that intends   to establish a law school under this section shall notify the Texas   Higher Education Coordinating Board. If the coordinating board   receives notification under this subsection from more than one   governing board, the coordinating board shall determine which of   those governing boards may establish a law school under this   section.  The coordinating board must base the determination 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 criteria the coordinating board   considers appropriate.          (f)  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.  For the purposes of Section 61.0905, Education   Code, as added by this Act, no state funds may be appropriated for a   state fiscal biennium ending on or before August 31, 2027.          SECTION 3.  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, 2021.