BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 491
85R6573 SRS-F	By: Watson
	Higher Education
	2/16/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, there is a shortage of primary care providers in Texas compared to the growing population. The Texas Statewide Preceptorship Program provides direct funding to Texas medical students in order to encourage them to choose primary care careers in the areas of family practice, general internal medicine, or general pediatrics. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) administers the grants for this program. The Texas Statewide Preceptorship Program involves on-site experiences in physician's offices during the summer between the first and second year of medical school.

While THECB staff have included family medicine as part of the program in the past, it is not specifically outlined in statute. This change would add family medicine in statute. There is no known opposition at this time.

As proposed, S.B. 491 amends current law relating to the statewide preceptorship program in family medicine.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 58.006(a), Education Code, to authorize the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to contract with one or more organizations to operate the statewide preceptorship program in general internal medicine, the state statewide preceptorship program in family medicine, and the statewide preceptorship program in general pediatrics for medical students enrolled in Texas medical schools, rather than to operate the statewide preceptorship program in general internal medicine and the state preceptorship program in general pediatrics for medical students enrolled in Texas medical schools.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.