| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to medical education coursework and training for |
|
|
physicians in cultural competence and implicit bias. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 51.310 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 51.310. CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND IMPLICIT BIAS MEDICAL |
|
|
EDUCATION COURSEWORK. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
|
|
Education Coordinating Board. |
|
|
(2) "Cultural competence" and "implicit bias" have the |
|
|
meanings assigned by Section 153.017, Occupations Code. |
|
|
(3) "Medical school" has the meaning assigned by |
|
|
Section 61.501. |
|
|
(b) The coordinating board by rule shall require a medical |
|
|
school to offer coursework in cultural competence and implicit bias |
|
|
approved by the Texas Medical Board under Section 153.017(b), |
|
|
Occupations Code. |
|
|
(c) A medical school may not award a student a doctor of |
|
|
medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree |
|
|
unless the student has successfully completed the number of hours |
|
|
of coursework in cultural competence and implicit bias required by |
|
|
coordinating board rule. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 153.017 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 153.017. COURSEWORK AND TRAINING IN CULTURAL |
|
|
COMPETENCE AND IMPLICIT BIAS. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Cultural competence" means, with respect to |
|
|
health care, the ability to address the health issues of |
|
|
individuals from diverse backgrounds effectively by applying |
|
|
knowledge, empathy, and insight into the views on health that those |
|
|
backgrounds present. |
|
|
(2) "Implicit bias" means: |
|
|
(A) bias in judgment or behavior that results |
|
|
from subtle cognitive processes, including implicit attitudes and |
|
|
stereotypes, that often operate at a level below conscious |
|
|
awareness and without intentional control; or |
|
|
(B) implicit attitudes and stereotypes that |
|
|
result in beliefs or simple associations that a person makes |
|
|
between an object and its evaluation that are automatically |
|
|
activated by the mere presence, actual or symbolic, of the attitude |
|
|
object. |
|
|
(b) The board shall approve coursework and training in |
|
|
cultural competence and implicit bias for purposes of Section |
|
|
156.0011 of this code and Section 51.310(c), Education Code. |
|
|
(c) Coursework and training approved under Subsection (b) |
|
|
must be: |
|
|
(1) designed to address medical decisions and |
|
|
treatment relating to a person's race, ethnicity, nationality, |
|
|
language, sex, gender, physical and mental ability, and |
|
|
socioeconomic status; and |
|
|
(2) developed in consultation with: |
|
|
(A) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
|
|
Board; and |
|
|
(B) the Association of American Medical Colleges |
|
|
or another nationally recognized organization that reviews medical |
|
|
school curricula. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 156, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 156.0011 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 156.0011. REQUIRED COURSEWORK OR TRAINING IN CULTURAL |
|
|
COMPETENCE AND IMPLICIT BIAS; WAIVER. (a) In this section, |
|
|
"cultural competence" and "implicit bias" have the meanings |
|
|
assigned by Section 153.017. |
|
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the board may not |
|
|
issue a registration permit to or renew the registration permit of a |
|
|
person unless the person has successfully completed: |
|
|
(1) coursework in cultural competence and implicit |
|
|
bias as a student in a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic |
|
|
medicine degree program as required by Section 51.310, Education |
|
|
Code; or |
|
|
(2) training in cultural competence and implicit bias |
|
|
approved by the board under Section 153.017(b). |
|
|
(c) A person who satisfies the requirements of Subsection |
|
|
(b) is not required to complete additional coursework or training |
|
|
described by that subsection for the subsequent renewal of the |
|
|
person's registration permit. |
|
|
(d) The board by rule shall establish the minimum number of |
|
|
hours of training necessary to satisfy Subsection (b)(2). A |
|
|
license holder may complete the training as part of the hours of |
|
|
continuing medical education completed to comply with Section |
|
|
156.051(a)(2). |
|
|
(e) The board may waive the requirements of this section for |
|
|
a person who demonstrates in a manner prescribed by the board that |
|
|
the person has successfully completed coursework or training that |
|
|
is substantially equivalent to that approved by the board under |
|
|
Section 153.017(b). |
|
|
SECTION 4. Not later than December 1, 2021, the Texas Higher |
|
|
Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Medical Board shall |
|
|
adopt the rules necessary to implement this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 5. (a) Section 51.310(c), Education Code, as added |
|
|
by this Act, applies only to a student who enrolls in a doctor of |
|
|
medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree |
|
|
program on or after January 1, 2022. |
|
|
(b) Section 156.0011(b), Occupations Code, as added by this |
|
|
Act, applies only to a registration permit issued or renewed on or |
|
|
after January 1, 2022. |
|
|
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |