BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                          S.B. 31

80R738 KSD-D                                                                                                                By: Nelson

Health & Human Services

2/23/2007

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Only nine percent of Texas physicians practice in rural areas, despite the fact that 13 percent of the state's population lives in rural communities. 

As proposed, S.B. 31 requires the creation of a scholarship program to encourage medical students to enter into rural medicine programs and to meet the need for more rural providers.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 61.9805, Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Subchapter EE, as follows:

SUBCHAPTER EE.  RURAL PHYSICIAN TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Sec. 61.9801.  SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.  Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to establish and administer a scholarship program for medical students who agree to complete their clinical medical education in rural medically underserved areas of Texas.

Sec. 61.9802.  ELIGIBILITY.  Sets forth certain eligibility requirements for students to receive scholarships under this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9803.  AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS.  Requires a person to enter into a written agreement with THECB in order to qualify for the scholarship.  Sets forth the requirements and conditions of the agreement between the student and THECB.  Requires THECB to determine the terms of the promissory note required by Subsection (a)(4).  Requires the terms, to the extent practicable, to be the same as those applicable to state or federally guaranteed student loans made at the same time.

Sec. 61.9804.  GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS.  Authorizes THECB to solicit and accept grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the scholarship program, in addition to funds appropriated by the legislature.

Sec. 61.9805.  RULES.  Requires THECB to adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter. Requires THECB to distribute a copy of the adopted rules to each medical school of a public or private institution of higher education in Texas.

SECTION 2.  Requires THECB to adopt rules regarding the rural physician training scholarship program no later than December 31, 2007.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.