By:  Shapleigh, Truan                                 S.B. No. 1378
              Zaffirini, Lucio
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the review of medical training needs for health care
 1-2     professionals in the Texas-Mexico border region.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  (a)  In this Act, "border region" means the area
 1-5     composed of the counties of Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Brewster,
 1-6     Brooks, Cameron, Crockett, Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, El
 1-7     Paso, Frio, Hidalgo, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells,
 1-8     Kenedy, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak,
 1-9     Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, Real, Reeves,
1-10     San Patricio, Starr, Sutton, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb,
1-11     Willacy, Zapata, and Zavala.
1-12           (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in
1-13     consultation with the Texas Department of Health, the Health
1-14     Education Training Centers Alliance of Texas, and the Area Health
1-15     Education Centers, shall conduct a review of medical training needs
1-16     of health care professionals in the border region.  In conducting
1-17     the review:
1-18                 (1)  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1-19     shall review current methods of medical training for health care
1-20     professionals in the border region; and
1-21                 (2)  the Texas Department of Health shall determine the
1-22     future medical services, health care services, and other needs
1-23     requirements of the border region.
1-24           (c)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the
 2-1     Texas Department of Health shall make recommendations on any action
 2-2     needed to address the medical training needs of health care
 2-3     professionals in the border region after considering the future
 2-4     medical services, health care services, or other needs the border
 2-5     region will require.
 2-6           (d)  Not later than January 1, 2001, the Texas Higher
 2-7     Education Coordinating Board shall report to the governor,
 2-8     lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
 2-9     77th Legislature the findings and recommendations for any necessary
2-10     legislation to address the medical training needs of health care
2-11     professionals in the border region after considering the future
2-12     medical services, health care services, or other needs the border
2-13     region will require.
2-14           SECTION 2.  This Act expires January 2, 2001.
2-15           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.