SRC-MWN C.S.S.B. 940 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 940 77R9702 KEL-DBy: Bivins Education 3/15/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, economically disadvantaged students are underrepresented in Texas medical schools. C.S.S.B. 940 establishes the Joint Admission Medical Program to increase the number of economically disadvantaged undergraduate 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 undergraduate students who are enrolled as freshmen at that institution. Requires the council to allocate the remaining program openings to each general academic teaching institutions 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. Authorizes a participating medical school to which a participating student is matched under this section to require the student to participate in an internship program offered by the medical school during the summer immediately following the student's senior year. Requires the council to match the student with any appropriate undergraduate mentoring program required of the student by the council. 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 an undergraduate student, to be eligible for admission to the program, to meet certain requirements. Sec. 51.827. ELIGIBILITY TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM. Requires an undergraduate student who is admitted to the program, to be eligible to continue participation on the program, to meet certain criteria. Authorizes the council, if an undergraduate student who is admitted to the program fails to meet the requirements of this section 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 meet the requirements of that section. Provides that a student's participation in the program is automatically terminated if the student fails to meet the requirements for this section 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. Requires the Baylor College of Medicine to agree under this section to set aside a certain amount of its enrollment capacity for students who are entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided by Chapter 54 for resident students. 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 take certain actions. 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 economically disadvantaged students who meet certain criteria. Provides that nontraditional students admitted to the program under this section are subject only to the program 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 state officials not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year. Requires the report to contain detailed information regarding certain topics. SECTION 2. Provides that the Joint Admission Medical Program is required to implement this Act only if the legislature appropriates money for that purpose, but may implement it using other funds in the absence of such legislative appropriation. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 1. Amends As Filed S.B. 940, Chapter 51, Education Code, as follows: _Amends the proposed definitions of "general academic teaching institution" and "participating student." _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.824 expanding the duties of the council. Replaces reference to "student" with "undergraduate students." _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.826 regarding requirements of an undergraduate student's eligibility for admission to the program. _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.827 regarding an undergraduate student's eligibility to continue in the program. Makes a conforming change. _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.829 regarding the Baylor College of Medicine. Makes conforming changes _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.830 relating to required agreements between the council and general academic teaching institutions. _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.831 regarding medical school openings for economically disadvantaged students. Makes conforming changes. _Adds new proposed language in Section 51.833 regarding the number of admitted students. SECTION 2. Adds new proposed language regarding money appropriated to the Joint Admission Medical Program. SECTION 3. Effective date. Renumbered form SECTION 2.