Jacqueline Peraza | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A state representative has filed a bill to establish a law school in the Rio Grande Valley.

Under House Bill 695, which was filed Dec. 2 by state Rep. Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco), the school would offer courses that can be found in other law schools across the United States.

Martinez said he has worked on this bill for several years, and it is not the first time it has been presented to the Legislature. 

“Last [session], we had a very positive outcome because it passed unanimously out of the [Higher Education Committee]. …  Then it passed the House with over 100 votes,” he said. “So, that’s a super majority of votes that supported a law school in the Rio Grande Valley, and then it got to the Senate and it stalled.”

Asked why he believes the bill stalled, Martinez replied they ran out of time during the session.

87th Texas Legislative Session: Second in a Series

“We were at the end of session by the time it got out to the House,” he said. “We just ran out of time in the Senate. I’m hoping that our senators look at this and say, ‘This is a proposal that’s a positive for the Rio Grande Valley.’”

Martinez said he received the support of other representatives from the Valley and Dallas for the bill, including Representatives Sergio Muñoz Jr. (D-Mission), Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City), Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) and Rafael Anchía (D-Dallas), chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.

“I think a lot of people across the state of Texas realize the importance of a law school in the Rio Grande Valley, and they wanted to show their support,” he said. “We drafted it, they read it, they all approved it and signed on, and we submitted.”

The bill did not specify a dollar amount for the funding of the new law school. Martinez said it is up to the public institution of higher learning that takes on the school to decide how much it will invest.

The proposed bill states, “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.”

 Martinez said he would not have a say in where the school is built.

“I think that is totally up to the institution that would want to come into the Rio Grande Valley to do it,” he said. “So, if you have A&M that would want to come in and put a law school somewhere, this just gives them the flexibility to put it anywhere in the Valley. This also allows Texas Tech or other schools of law that would like to come down and open one up. … I’m not going to dictate where it goes. The only thing I want to do is make sure we do have one in the Rio Grande Valley.”

Veronica Gonzales, UTRGV vice president of Governmental and Community Relations and a lawyer, said she commends Rep. Martinez for wanting to expand educational opportunities.

“That’s one of our goals here at UTRGV and it’s always a good thing for students in the Rio Grande Valley,” Gonzales said.

If the bill passes, it would grant the opportunity for higher education systems to expand their program in the Valley, she said. 

“If that happens, the [Texas Higher Education] Coordinating Board has to get involved [and] they have to do a feasibility study to determine: Is there a need for a law school? Is there a student demand for it? Are there available resources? … And then, how do you begin the accreditation process?” Gonzales said. “So, it’s a really long process to do this, but this is the first step.”

She said if a law school were to become a reality in the Valley it has to be done “top notch.”

“It’s very important that if one is to be created, that the proper foundation be laid in order to make it a success,” Gonzales said. “Expanding educational opportunities in whatever field it may be is really important to UTRGV and the Rio Grande Valley.”

Martinez said when asked what he believes is the definition of success he always replies: opportunity.

“The only way we can provide an opportunity is through an education,” he said. “I believe a law school is an additional opportunity for a lot of our bright, young students here from the Valley who would like to stay in the Valley and continue their education, instead of having to travel to other parts of the state.”

As of press time, the bill had passed Stage 1 and was to be reviewed by a House committee in Stage 2.