SRC-MWN S.B. 940 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 940 77R7179 KEL-DBy: Bivins Education 3/12/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, economically disadvantaged students are underrepresented in Texas medical schools. As proposed, S.B. 940 establishes the Joint Admission Medical Program to increase the number of economically disadvantaged students from all regions of Texas who enter and complete medical school. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Subchapter V, as follows: SUBCHAPTER V. JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM Sec. 51.821. DEFINITIONS. Defines "council," "general academic teaching institution," "participating medical school," "participating student," and "program." Sec. 51.822. JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM. Provides that the Joint Admission Medical Program (program) is a program administered by the Joint Admission Medical Program Council to perform certain duties. Sec. 51.823. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. Requires the participating medical schools to jointly establish the Joint Admission Medical Program Council (council) consisting of one faculty member employed by and representing each of the participating medical schools. Prohibits a person from serving on the council for more than six consecutive years. Requires the council to select one of its members to serve as council chair for a term of two years. Sec. 51.824. COUNCIL DUTIES. Requires the council to perform certain duties. Requires the council annually, from each general academic teaching institution, to select for admission to the program at least two eligible high school graduates who have been admitted to and who intend to enroll at the institution. Requires the council to allocate the remaining program openings to each general academic teaching institution in proportion to the average size of each institution's entering freshman class during the four-year period preceding the allocation. Requires the council to match each participating student with appropriate internship programs offered by participating medical schools during the summers immediately following the student's freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Requires a participating student who elects to participate in an internship program in the summer immediately following the student's senior year to be matched to an internship program offered by the participating medical school to which the student is otherwise matched. Requires the council, during a participating student's senior year, to match the student with an appropriate participating medical school as necessary to fill the percentage of enrollment capacity set aside by each medical school under the program. Requires the council, to the extent possible, to accommodate the preferences of participating students regarding medical school placement. Prohibits a participating medical school from making an offer of admission to a participating student before the student is matched by the council to a medical school as described by this subsection. Sec. 51.825. COUNCIL DELEGATION. Authorizes the council to delegate the performance of the council's administrative functions, including its matching functions, to the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service operated through the University of Texas System. Sec. 51.826. ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION TO PROGRAM. Requires a high school graduate, to be eligible for admission to the program, to meet certain requirements. Sec. 51.827. ELIGIBILITY TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAM. Requires a student who is admitted to the program, to be eligible to continue participation on the program, to meet certain criteria. Authorizes the council, if a student who is admitted to the program fails to enroll at a general academic teaching institution at the time required or to meet the requirements without good cause as determined by the council, to terminate that student's participation in the program at the end of the semester during which the student failed to enroll or otherwise meet the requirements of that subsection. Provides that a student's participation in the program is automatically terminated if the student fails to meet any of the requirements for two consecutive semesters without good cause. Sec. 51.828. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH STUDENT ADMITTED TO PROGRAM. Requires a student admitted to the program to enter into an agreement with the council under which the student agrees to certain conditions. Requires the council, at the time the student enters into an agreement, to provide the student with information regarding certain topics. Sec. 51.829. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH PARTICIPATING MEDICAL SCHOOL. Requires a participating medical school to enter into an agreement with the council under which the medical school agrees to perform certain acts. Sec. 51.830. COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTION. Requires each general academic teaching institution to enter into an agreement with the council under which the institution agrees to provide academic counseling to a participating student enrolled at that institution. Sec. 51.831. NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS. Requires the medical school, if for any other reason a participating medical school does not fill the percentage of enrollment capacity set aside for participating students under the program, to fill the remaining openings with nontraditional, economically disadvantaged students who are 25 years of age or older. Provides that nontraditional students admitted under this section are subject only to the benefits and requirements applicable to participating students after their enrollment in a participating medical school and must sign an agreement to that effect. Sec. 51.832. FUNDING. Authorizes the council to solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter. Authorizes the legislature to appropriate money for the purposes of this subchapter. Sec. 51.833. REPORT. Requires the council to deliver a report on the program to certain sate officials not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year. Requires the report to contain detailed information regarding certain topics. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.