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