| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to provisional licensing of physicians to practice in |
|
|
underserved areas. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 155.101 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 155.101. PROVISIONAL LICENSE TO PRACTICE IN CERTAIN |
|
|
AREAS. (a) On application, the board shall grant a provisional |
|
|
license to practice medicine in a location described by Subsection |
|
|
(c) to an applicant for a license under this subtitle who: |
|
|
(1) is licensed in good standing as a physician in |
|
|
another state that has licensing requirements that are |
|
|
substantially equivalent to the requirements of this subtitle; |
|
|
(2) has passed a national or other examination |
|
|
recognized by the board relating to the practice of medicine; and |
|
|
(3) is sponsored by a person licensed under this |
|
|
subtitle with whom the provisional license holder may practice |
|
|
under this section. |
|
|
(b) The board may excuse an applicant for a provisional |
|
|
license from the requirement of Subsection (a)(3) if the board |
|
|
determines that compliance with that subsection constitutes a |
|
|
hardship to the applicant. |
|
|
(c) A person who holds a provisional license issued under |
|
|
this section may only practice medicine in a location: |
|
|
(1) designated by the federal government as a health |
|
|
professional shortage area; or |
|
|
(2) designated by the federal or state government as a |
|
|
medically underserved area. |
|
|
(d) A provisional license is valid until the date the board |
|
|
approves or denies the provisional license holder's application for |
|
|
a license. The board shall issue a license under this subtitle to |
|
|
the holder of a provisional license under this section if: |
|
|
(1) the provisional license holder passes the |
|
|
examination required by Section 155.051; and |
|
|
(2) the provisional license holder satisfies any other |
|
|
license requirements under this subtitle. |
|
|
(e) The board shall complete the processing of a provisional |
|
|
license holder's application for a license not later than the 180th |
|
|
day after the date the provisional license is issued. The board may |
|
|
extend that deadline to allow for the receipt of pending |
|
|
examination results. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 155.101, Occupations Code, as added by |
|
|
this Act, applies to an application for a provisional license |
|
|
submitted on or after January 1, 2010. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |