By:  Madla, Shapleigh, Lucio                                      S.B. No. 558
	(In the Senate - Filed February 18, 2003; February 24, 2003, 
read first time and referred to Committee on International 
Relations and Trade; March 18, 2003, reported adversely, with 
favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 
0; March 18, 2003, sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 558                                    By:  Lucio


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to immigration visa waivers for physicians.                        
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Health and Safety 
Code, is amended by adding Section 12.0127 to read as follows:
	Sec. 12.0127.  IMMIGRATION VISA WAIVERS FOR PHYSICIANS.  The 
department, in accordance with 8 U.S.C. Section 1182(e), as 
amended, under exceptions provided by 8 U.S.C. Section 1184(l), as 
amended, may request waiver of the foreign country residence 
requirement for a qualified alien physician who agrees to practice 
medicine in a medically underserved area or health professional 
shortage area, as designated by the United States Department of 
Health and Human Services, that has a current shortage of 
physicians.
	SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 155.1025, Occupations 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The board shall adopt rules for expediting any 
application for a license under this subtitle made by a person who 
is licensed to practice medicine in another state or country and who 
submits an affidavit with the application stating that:
		(1)  the applicant intends to practice in a rural 
community, as determined by the Office of Rural Community Affairs
[Center for Rural Health Initiatives]; or
		(2)  the applicant intends to practice medicine[:     
			[(A)  accept employment with an entity located] in 
a medically underserved area or health professional shortage area, 
designated by the United States Department of Health and Human 
Services, that has a current shortage of physicians [and affiliated 
with or participating in a public university-sponsored graduate 
medical education program;
			[(B)  serve on the faculty of the public 
university-sponsored graduate medical education program; and
			[(C)  engage in the practice of medicine and 
teaching in a specialty field of medicine that is necessary to 
obtain or maintain the accreditation of the public 
university-sponsored graduate medical education program by the 
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education].
	SECTION 3.  Section 51.949, Education Code, as added by 
Chapter 1293, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, 
is repealed.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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