By: Ortega H.B. No. 817
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a study on increasing the number of medical residency
  programs, medical residents, and physicians practicing medical
  specialties in this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  STUDY ON MEDICAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS AND MEDICAL
  RESIDENTS. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in
  coordination with the Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic
  Research at The University of Texas at San Antonio, the Regional
  Center for Health Workforce Studies at the Center for Health
  Economics and Policy of The University of Texas Health Science
  Center at San Antonio, and the Texas Medical Board, shall conduct a
  study regarding increasing:
               (1)  the number of medical residency programs and
  medical residents in this state; and
               (2)  the number of physicians practicing medical
  specialties.
         (b)  The study must:
               (1)  examine the feasibility of using a percentage of
  physician licensing fees to increase the number of medical
  residency programs and medical residents in this state;
               (2)  put emphasis on, and recommend a plan of action
  for, increasing the number of:
                     (A)  medical residency programs and medical
  residents in medically underserved areas of this state; and
                     (B)  physicians practicing medical specialties
  that are underrepresented in this state; and
               (3)  determine the number of medical residents that
  obtain a license to practice medicine in this state on completion of
  a medical residency program in this state.
         (c)  Not later than December 1, 2018, the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board shall:
               (1)  report the results of the study to the governor,
  the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
  representatives; and
               (2)  make available the raw data from the study to the
  governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
  representatives, the House Committee on Public Health, and the
  Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
         (d)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may
  accept gifts, grants, and donations of any kind from any source for
  the purposes of this section.
         SECTION 2.  EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2019.
         SECTION 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE.
  This Act takes effect September
  1, 2017.