1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain applicants applying for a license to practice
1-3 medicine.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 155.1025 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 155.1025. EXPEDITED PROCESS FOR CERTAIN APPLICANTS. (a)
1-8 The board shall adopt rules for expediting any application for a
1-9 license under this subtitle made by a person who is licensed to
1-10 practice medicine in another state or country and who submits an
1-11 affidavit with the application stating that:
1-12 (1) the applicant intends to practice in a rural
1-13 community, as determined by the Center for Rural Health
1-14 Initiatives; or
1-15 (2) the applicant intends to:
1-16 (A) accept employment with an entity located in
1-17 a medically underserved area or health professional shortage area,
1-18 designated by the United States Department of Health and Human
1-19 Services, and affiliated with or participating in a public
1-20 university-sponsored graduate medical education program;
1-21 (B) serve on the faculty of the public
1-22 university-sponsored graduate medical education program; and
1-23 (C) engage in the practice of medicine and
1-24 teaching in a specialty field of medicine that is necessary to
2-1 obtain or maintain the accreditation of the public
2-2 university-sponsored graduate medical education program by the
2-3 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
2-4 (b) The board shall notify the Texas Department of Health on
2-5 receipt of an application for expedited processing under Subsection
2-6 (a)(2).
2-7 SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
2-8 amended by adding Section 51.949 to read as follows:
2-9 Sec. 51.949. IMMIGRATION VISA WAIVERS FOR FACULTY
2-10 PHYSICIANS. (a) In this section, "eligible area" means the area
2-11 served by the regional academic health center established under
2-12 Section 74.611.
2-13 (b) On receipt of an application from a foreign applicant
2-14 for the expedited processing of a license under Section
2-15 155.1025(a)(2), Occupations Code, the Texas Department of Health
2-16 shall request the United States Department of State to recommend
2-17 the waiver of 8 U.S.C. Section 1182(e) under exceptions provided by
2-18 8 U.S.C. Section 1184(l) for not more than 20 qualified alien
2-19 physicians each year who agree, beginning not later than the 90th
2-20 day after the date of approval of the waiver and continuing for at
2-21 least three years, to:
2-22 (1) accept employment with an entity:
2-23 (A) located in a medically underserved area or
2-24 health professional shortage area, as designated by the United
2-25 States Department of Health and Human Services, within an eligible
2-26 area; and
2-27 (B) affiliated with or participating in a public
3-1 university-sponsored graduate medical education program;
3-2 (2) serve on the faculty of the public
3-3 university-sponsored graduate medical education program;
3-4 (3) engage in the practice of medicine and teaching in
3-5 a specialty field of medicine that is necessary to obtain or
3-6 maintain the accreditation of the public university-sponsored
3-7 graduate medical education program by the Accreditation Council for
3-8 Graduate Medical Education; and
3-9 (4) join a medical practice located in a medically
3-10 underserved area or health professional shortage area, as
3-11 designated by the United States Department of Health and Human
3-12 Services, within an eligible area.
3-13 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-14 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-15 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-16 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-17 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1018 was passed by the House on March
22, 2001, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1018 on May 24, 2001, by the
following vote: Yeas 134, Nays 0, 2 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1018 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 18, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays
1, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________________
Date
__________________________
Governor