BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1095
80R8249 YDB-D By: Uresti
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Texas has a shortage of physicians and needs more graduate medical education slots to train the physicians required to meet our health care needs. The shortage of training slots virtually guarantees that medical students will be forced to leave the state upon graduation. Given the strong relationship between location of graduate medical education training and entrance into practice, those leaving will likely not return to Texas.
As proposed, S.B. 1095 authorizes a study that will look into the feasibility of taking a percentage of physician licensing fees to create more residency programs and/or increase the number of residents. The bill places emphasis on medically underserved areas and underrepresented medical specialties.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, by adding Section 153.016, as follows:
Sec. 153.016. STUDY ON MEDICAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS AND MEDICAL RESIDENTS. (a) Requires the Texas Medical Board (board) to conduct a study regarding increasing the number of medical residency programs and medical residents in Texas and the number of physicians practicing medical specialties.
(b) Requires the study to examine certain factors and make recommendations for improvement.
(c) Requires the board to report the results of the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives not later than December 1, 2008.
(d) Provides that this section expires January 1, 2009.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.