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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the issuance of a license in this state to certain |
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physicians licensed outside of this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to improve health care |
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in this state by encouraging physicians to relocate to this state |
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and by providing for the expedited licensing of those physicians. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 155.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 155.010. LICENSING OF PHYSICIANS WITH CERTAIN |
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SPECIALTIES; RECIPROCITY. (a) This section applies only to an |
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applicant who is a physician licensed in a jurisdiction other than |
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this state and who holds a specialty certification recognized by |
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the board in one of the following areas: |
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(1) primary care; |
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(2) psychiatry; |
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(3) family practice; |
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(4) internal medicine; |
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(5) pediatrics; or |
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(6) obstetrics and gynecology. |
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(b) The board shall issue a license to an applicant |
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described by Subsection (a) who the board determines holds a |
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license issued by another jurisdiction that has licensing |
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requirements substantially equivalent to or more stringent than the |
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requirements of this state. |
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(c) The board shall issue a license to an applicant who |
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holds a license issued by a jurisdiction with which this state has a |
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reciprocity agreement. The board shall enter into an agreement with |
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another jurisdiction for the issuance of licenses by reciprocity to |
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applicants described by Subsection (a) if the other jurisdiction |
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has licensing requirements that are substantially equivalent to or |
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more stringent than the requirements of this state. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an applicant for a physician license who submits an application |
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on or after January 1, 2016. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |