1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the establishment of the Joint Admission Medical
 1-3     Program to assist certain economically disadvantaged students in
 1-4     preparing for and succeeding in medical school.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-7     Subchapter V to read as follows:
 1-8               SUBCHAPTER V.  JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM
 1-9           Sec. 51.821.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
1-10                 (1)  "Council" means the Joint Admission Medical
1-11     Program Council established under this subchapter.
1-12                 (2)  "General academic teaching institution" means a
1-13     four-year general academic teaching institution as defined by
1-14     Section 61.003.
1-15                 (3)  "Private or independent institution of higher
1-16     education" means an institution as defined by Section 61.003(15)
1-17     that grants baccalaureate degrees and offers a program in
1-18     premedical education.
1-19                 (4)  "Participating medical school" means each of the
1-20     following entities:
1-21                       (A)  the medical school at The University of
1-22     Texas Health Science Center at Houston;
1-23                       (B)  the medical school at The University of
1-24     Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas;
1-25                       (C)  the medical school at The University of
 2-1     Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio;
 2-2                       (D)  the medical school at The University of
 2-3     Texas Medical Branch at Galveston;
 2-4                       (E)  the medical school at Texas Tech University
 2-5     Health Sciences Center;
 2-6                       (F)  the Baylor College of Medicine;
 2-7                       (G)  the college of osteopathic medicine at the
 2-8     University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; and
 2-9                       (H)  the medical school at The Texas A&M
2-10     University System Health Science Center.
2-11                 (5)  "Participating student" means an eligible
2-12     undergraduate student who is admitted to the program and who
2-13     maintains eligibility for continued participation in the program.
2-14                 (6)  "Program" means the Joint Admission Medical
2-15     Program established under this subchapter.
2-16           Sec. 51.822.  JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM.  The Joint
2-17     Admission Medical Program is a program administered by the Joint
2-18     Admission Medical Program Council to:
2-19                 (1)  provide services to support and encourage highly
2-20     qualified, economically disadvantaged students pursuing a medical
2-21     education;
2-22                 (2)  award undergraduate and graduate scholarships and
2-23     summer stipends to those students; and
2-24                 (3)  guarantee the admission of those students to at
2-25     least one participating medical school, subject to the conditions
2-26     under Section 51.827 and under other provisions of this subchapter.
 3-1           Sec. 51.823.  COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.  (a)  The participating
 3-2     medical schools shall jointly establish the Joint Admission Medical
 3-3     Program Council consisting of one faculty member employed by and
 3-4     representing each of the participating medical schools.
 3-5           (b)  A person may not serve on the council for more than six
 3-6     consecutive years.
 3-7           (c)  The council shall select one of its members to serve as
 3-8     council chair for a term of two years.
 3-9           Sec. 51.824.  COUNCIL DUTIES.  (a)  The council shall:
3-10                 (1)  recruit eligible undergraduate students for
3-11     admission to the program;
3-12                 (2)  establish an application process for admitting
3-13     eligible undergraduate students to the program;
3-14                 (3)  evaluate applications for admission to the program
3-15     according to the selection requirements of Subsection (b);
3-16                 (4)  monitor the implementation of the program;
3-17                 (5)  assist in developing services to support and
3-18     encourage the pursuit of a medical education by participating
3-19     students and, as applicable, nontraditional students described by
3-20     Section 51.832;
3-21                 (6)  establish a process for participating students to:
3-22                       (A)  be matched to an internship program as
3-23     described by Subsection (c);
3-24                       (B)  be matched to any required undergraduate
3-25     mentoring program as described by Subsection (d);
3-26                       (C)  apply for admission to participating medical
 4-1     schools;
 4-2                       (D)  be matched to a participating medical school
 4-3     as described by Subsection (e); and
 4-4                       (E)  enroll in that school;
 4-5                 (7)  award to participating students undergraduate
 4-6     scholarships and summer stipends, including a summer stipend for a
 4-7     student who is required to participate in an internship program in
 4-8     the summer immediately following the student's senior year;
 4-9                 (8)  award graduate scholarships to participating
4-10     students and, as applicable, nontraditional students described by
4-11     Section 51.832;
4-12                 (9)  enter into an agreement with each student admitted
4-13     to the program, each participating medical school, and each general
4-14     academic teaching institution or private or independent institution
4-15     of higher education as required by this subchapter; and
4-16                 (10)  take any other action necessary to implement the
4-17     program.
4-18           (b)  From each general academic teaching institution, the
4-19     council annually shall select for admission to the program at least
4-20     two eligible undergraduate students who are enrolled as freshmen at
4-21     that institution.  The council shall allocate 10 percent of the
4-22     total program openings on a rotation basis to private or
4-23     independent institutions of higher education.  The council shall
4-24     allocate the remaining program openings to general academic
4-25     teaching institutions in proportion to the average size of each
4-26     institution's entering freshman class during the four-year period
 5-1     preceding the allocation.
 5-2           (c)  The council shall match each participating student with
 5-3     appropriate internship programs offered by participating medical
 5-4     schools during the summers immediately following the student's
 5-5     freshman, sophomore, and junior years.  A participating medical
 5-6     school to which a participating student is matched under Subsection
 5-7     (e) may require the student to participate in an internship program
 5-8     offered by the medical school during the summer immediately
 5-9     following the student's senior year.
5-10           (d)  The council shall match each participating student with
5-11     any appropriate undergraduate mentoring program required of the
5-12     student by the council.
5-13           (e)  During a participating student's senior year, the
5-14     council shall match the student with an appropriate participating
5-15     medical school as necessary to fill the percentage of enrollment
5-16     capacity set aside by each medical school under the program.  To
5-17     the extent possible, the council shall accommodate the preferences
5-18     of participating students regarding medical school placement.  A
5-19     participating medical school may not make an offer of admission to
5-20     a participating student before the student is matched by the
5-21     council to a medical school as described by this subsection.
5-22           Sec. 51.825.  COUNCIL DELEGATION.  The council may delegate
5-23     the performance of the council's administrative functions,
5-24     including its matching functions, to the Texas Medical and Dental
5-25     Schools Application Service operated through The University of
5-26     Texas System.
 6-1           Sec. 51.826.  ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION TO PROGRAM.  (a)  To
 6-2     be eligible for admission to the program, an undergraduate student
 6-3     must:
 6-4                 (1)  enroll at a general academic teaching institution
 6-5     or a private or independent institution of higher education not
 6-6     later than the first fall semester following the student's
 6-7     graduation from high school;
 6-8                 (2)  be a Texas resident for purposes of tuition under
 6-9     Subchapter B, Chapter 54;
6-10                 (3)  successfully complete at least 15 semester credit
6-11     hours during the fall semester of the student's freshman year at
6-12     the general academic teaching institution or the private or
6-13     independent institution of higher education;
6-14                 (4)  apply for admission to the program at the
6-15     beginning of the spring semester of the student's freshman year at
6-16     the general academic teaching institution or the private or
6-17     independent institution of higher education; and
6-18                 (5)  meet criteria established by the council
6-19     regarding:
6-20                       (A)  minimum high school and undergraduate grade
6-21     point averages;
6-22                       (B)  financial need and any other indication of
6-23     economic disadvantage; and
6-24                       (C)  any other matter the council considers
6-25     appropriate.
6-26           (b)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), a student is not a
 7-1     Texas resident as described by that subdivision solely because the
 7-2     student is eligible to pay tuition at the resident tuition rate.
 7-3           Sec. 51.827.  ELIGIBILITY TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATION IN
 7-4     PROGRAM.  (a)  To be eligible to continue participation in the
 7-5     program, an undergraduate student who is admitted to the program
 7-6     must:
 7-7                 (1)  meet criteria established by the council
 7-8     regarding:
 7-9                       (A)  courses taken and minimum grade point
7-10     average for those courses during enrollment at the general academic
7-11     teaching institution or the private or independent institution of
7-12     higher education;
7-13                       (B)  progress in those courses;
7-14                       (C)  achievement of an acceptable score on the
7-15     Medical College Admission Test or any equivalent examination taken
7-16     as a precondition for enrollment in or admission to a participating
7-17     medical school; and
7-18                       (D)  any other matter the council considers
7-19     appropriate;
7-20                 (2)  participate in:
7-21                       (A)  internship programs  described by Section
7-22     51.824(c) in:
7-23                             (i)  the summers immediately following the
7-24     student's freshman, sophomore, and junior years; and
7-25                             (ii)  if required, the summer immediately
7-26     following the student's senior year; and
 8-1                       (B)  any undergraduate or graduate mentoring
 8-2     program required by the council; and
 8-3                 (3)  exhibit intelligence, integrity, and personal and
 8-4     emotional characteristics that are considered necessary for the
 8-5     student to become an effective physician.
 8-6           (b)  If an undergraduate student who is admitted to the
 8-7     program fails to meet the requirements of Subsection (a) without
 8-8     good cause as determined by the council, the council may terminate
 8-9     that student's participation in the program at the end of the
8-10     semester during which the student failed to meet the requirements
8-11     of that subsection.  A student's participation in the program is
8-12     automatically terminated if the student fails to meet the
8-13     requirements of Subsection (a) for two consecutive semesters
8-14     without good cause.
8-15           Sec. 51.828.  COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH STUDENT ADMITTED TO
8-16     PROGRAM.  (a)  A student admitted to the program must enter into an
8-17     agreement with the council under which the student agrees to:
8-18                 (1)  maintain eligibility for continued participation
8-19     in the program; and
8-20                 (2)  repay any scholarship or stipend received under
8-21     the program if the student enrolls in a public or private medical
8-22     school in another state, other than temporary enrollment occurring
8-23     as a result of an exchange program.
8-24           (b)  At the time the student enters into an agreement under
8-25     this section, the council shall provide the student with
8-26     information regarding:
 9-1                 (1)  available program benefits, including
 9-2     undergraduate and graduate scholarships and summer stipends; and
 9-3                 (2)  repayment of scholarship and stipend benefits
 9-4     received under the program.
 9-5           Sec. 51.829.  COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH PARTICIPATING MEDICAL
 9-6     SCHOOL.  (a)  Each participating medical school must enter into an
 9-7     agreement with the council under which the medical school agrees
 9-8     to:
 9-9                 (1)  select a faculty member employed by the medical
9-10     school to serve on the council;
9-11                 (2)  commit faculty and administrative resources to the
9-12     program;
9-13                 (3)  set aside for participating students or, if
9-14     necessary, nontraditional students described by Section 51.831 at
9-15     least 10 percent of the medical school's enrollment capacity for
9-16     each entering class, except as provided by Subsection (b);
9-17                 (4)  admit participating students who are matched to
9-18     the medical school under the program;
9-19                 (5)  provide internship programs for participating
9-20     students who have been matched to or are required to participate in
9-21     those programs as described by Section 51.824(c) and coordinate the
9-22     administration of those programs with general academic teaching
9-23     institutions or private or independent institutions of higher
9-24     education as necessary;
9-25                 (6)  provide for participating students any mentoring
9-26     programs required by the council at the undergraduate level and
 10-1    coordinate the administration of those programs with general
 10-2    academic teaching institutions or private or independent
 10-3    institutions of higher education as necessary; and
 10-4                (7)  provide support services, including
 10-5    postbaccalaureate mentoring programs required by the council, to
 10-6    participating students and, as applicable, nontraditional students
 10-7    described by Section 51.832 who enroll in the medical school.
 10-8          (b)  The Baylor College of Medicine must agree under
 10-9    Subsection (a) to set aside under Subsection (a)(3) not less than
10-10    10 percent of its enrollment capacity set aside for students who
10-11    are entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided by Chapter 54 for
10-12    resident students.
10-13          Sec. 51.830.  COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH GENERAL ACADEMIC
10-14    TEACHING INSTITUTION.  Each general academic teaching institution
10-15    must enter into an agreement with the council under which the
10-16    institution agrees to:
10-17                (1)  provide academic counseling to a participating
10-18    student enrolled at that institution;
10-19                (2)  as soon as practicable, implement or expand
10-20    appropriate degree programs as necessary to provide participating
10-21    students with sufficient preparation for enrollment in
10-22    participating medical schools; and
10-23                (3)  select a faculty director to assist in
10-24    implementing the program at the institution and in implementing or
10-25    expanding the institution's degree programs as necessary under
10-26    Subdivision (2).
 11-1          Sec. 51.831.  COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH PRIVATE OR INDEPENDENT
 11-2    INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.  Each private or independent
 11-3    institution of higher education must enter into an agreement with
 11-4    the council under which the institution agrees to:
 11-5                (1)  provide academic counseling to a participating
 11-6    student enrolled at the institution;
 11-7                (2)  as soon as practicable, implement or expand
 11-8    appropriate degree programs as necessary to provide participating
 11-9    students with sufficient preparation for enrollment in
11-10    participating medical schools;
11-11                (3)  select a faculty director to assist in
11-12    implementing the program at the institution and in implementing or
11-13    expanding the institution's degree programs as necessary under
11-14    Subdivision (2); and
11-15                (4)  provide a scholarship to a participating student
11-16    in the amount required for a participating student attending a
11-17    general academic teaching institution, but not to exceed the amount
11-18    of tuition and fees that the student is charged.
11-19          Sec. 51.832.  NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS.  (a)  If for any
11-20    reason a participating medical school does not fill the percentage
11-21    of enrollment capacity set aside for participating students under
11-22    the program, the medical school shall fill the remaining openings
11-23    with economically disadvantaged students who:
11-24                (1)  are 25 years of age or older;
11-25                (2)  have been admitted to the medical school
11-26    independently of the program;
 12-1                (3)  are referred by the medical school to the council
 12-2    and admitted to the program by the council; and
 12-3                (4)  are entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided
 12-4    by Chapter 54 for resident students.
 12-5          (b)  Nontraditional students admitted to the program under
 12-6    this section are subject only to the program benefits and
 12-7    requirements applicable to participating students after their
 12-8    enrollment in a participating medical school and must sign an
 12-9    agreement to that effect.
12-10          Sec. 51.833.  FUNDING.  (a)  The council may solicit and
12-11    accept gifts and grants from any public or private source for the
12-12    purposes of this subchapter.
12-13          (b)  The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes
12-14    of this subchapter.
12-15          Sec. 51.834.  REPORT.  (a)  The council shall deliver a
12-16    report on the program to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and
12-17    the speaker of the house of representatives not later than December
12-18    31 of each even-numbered year.
12-19          (b)  The report must contain detailed information regarding:
12-20                (1)  any problems the council identifies in
12-21    implementing the program, with recommended solutions for those
12-22    problems;
12-23                (2)  the expenditure of any money received under this
12-24    subchapter, including legislative appropriations; and
12-25                (3)  the number of students who are admitted to the
12-26    program and who are enrolled in each year of a baccalaureate,
 13-1    graduate, or professional degree program offered by a general
 13-2    academic teaching institution, a private or independent institution
 13-3    of higher education, or a participating medical school, as
 13-4    applicable.
 13-5          SECTION 2.  The Joint Admission Medical Program Council is
 13-6    required to implement this Act only if the legislature appropriates
 13-7    money specifically for that purpose.  If the legislature does not
 13-8    appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the council may,
 13-9    but is not required to, implement this Act using other
13-10    appropriations available for the purpose.
13-11          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
13-12    a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
13-13    provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
13-14    Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
13-15    Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 940 passed the Senate on
         March 29, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 27, Nays 2, one
         present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 940 passed the House on
         May 16, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 121, Nays 15, three
         present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                      Date
         _______________________________
                    Governor