By:  Chavez, Solis, Escobar, Leibowitz                            H.B. No. 2420



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the allocation of federal funds directed to be used to 
support graduate medical education in connection with the state 
Medicaid program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 32.0315(b), Human Resources Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(b)  The department shall allocate the funds in the manner 
the department determines most effectively and equitably achieves 
the purposes for which those federal funds are received, consistent 
with the needs of this state for graduate medical education and the 
training of resident physicians in accredited residency programs in 
appropriate fields and specialties, taking into account other money 
available to support graduate medical education.  In determining 
the needs of this state for graduate medical education, the 
department shall give primary emphasis to graduate medical 
education in primary care specialties and shall also recognize the 
growth in residency training slots since 1997 in the Lower Rio 
Grande Valley and other health care shortage areas of this state.
	SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act 
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 
waiver or authorization is granted.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.