SB2695 - Relating to an education program to enable certain students to practice medicine in certain rural counties and to physician delegation of certain medical acts to advanced practice registered nurses, including in certain rural counties.

      By: Kolkhorst, et al. S.B. No. 2695     (Bonnen)           A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to an education program to enable certain students to   practice medicine in certain rural counties and to physician   delegation of certain medical acts to advanced practice registered   nurses, including in certain rural counties.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1. SHORT TITLE          SECTION 1.001.  This Act may be cited as the Texas Critically   Underserved Relief and Enhancement Act (Texas Cure Act).   ARTICLE 2.  RURAL ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM (RAMP)          SECTION 2.001.  Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subchapter X to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER X.   RURAL ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM           Sec. 51.851.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:                 (1)     "Council" means the Rural Admission Medical   Program Council established under Section 51.853.                 (2)     "General academic teaching institution" and   "private or independent institution of higher education" have the   meanings assigned to those terms by Section 61.003.                 (3)     "Participating medical school" has the meaning   assigned by Section 51.821.                 (4)     "Participating student" means an eligible   undergraduate student who is admitted to the program and who   maintains eligibility for continued participation in the program.                 (5)     "Program" means the Rural Admission Medical   Program established under this subchapter.           Sec.   51.852.     RURAL ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM. The Rural   Admission Medical Program is a program administered by the Rural   Admission Medical Program Council to:                 (1)     provide services to support and encourage highly   qualified students from counties in this state with populations of   less than 25,000 who are pursuing a medical education;                 (2)     award undergraduate and graduate scholarships and   summer stipends to those students; and                 (3)     guarantee the admission of those students to at   least one participating medical school, subject to the conditions   under Section 51.827 and under other provisions of this subchapter.           Sec.   51.853.     COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a) The   participating medical schools shall jointly establish the Rural   Admission Medical Program Council consisting of one faculty member   employed by and representing each of the participating medical   schools.           (b)     The council shall select one of its members to serve as   council chair for a term of two years.           Sec. 51.854.  COUNCIL DUTIES. (a)  The council shall:                 (1)     recruit eligible undergraduate students for   admission to the program;                 (2)     establish an application process for admitting   eligible undergraduate students to the program;                 (3)     evaluate applications for admission to the program   according to the procedures the council establishes for selecting   participating students;                 (4)  monitor the implementation of the program;                 (5)     assist in developing services to support and   encourage the pursuit of a medical education by participating   students and, as applicable, nontraditional students described by   Section 51.861;                 (6)  establish a process for participating students to:                       (A)     be matched to an internship program as   described by Subsection (b);                       (B)     be matched to any required undergraduate   mentoring program as described by Subsection (c);                       (C)     apply for admission to participating medical   schools;                       (D)     be matched to a participating medical school   as described by Subsection (d); and                       (E)  enroll in that school;                 (7)     award to participating students undergraduate   scholarships and summer stipends, including a summer stipend for a   student who is required to participate in an internship program in   the summer immediately following the student's senior year;                 (8)     award graduate scholarships to participating   students and, as applicable, nontraditional students described by   Section 51.861;                 (9)     enter into an agreement with each student admitted   to the program, each participating medical school, and each general   academic teaching institution or private or independent   institution of higher education as required by this subchapter; and                 (10)     take any other action necessary to implement the   program.           (b)     The council shall match each participating student with   appropriate internship programs offered by participating medical   schools during the summers immediately following the student's   sophomore and junior years.           (c)     The council shall match each participating student with   any appropriate undergraduate mentoring program required of the   student by the council.           (d)     During a participating student's senior year, the   council shall match the student with an appropriate participating   medical school as necessary to fill the percentage of enrollment   capacity set aside by each medical school under the program.           Sec.   51.855.     ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION TO PROGRAM. (a)   To   be eligible for admission to the program, an undergraduate student   must:                 (1)     have enrolled at a general academic teaching   institution or a private or independent institution of higher   education not later than the first fall semester following the   student's graduation from high school;                 (2)     be a resident of this state for purposes of tuition   under Subchapter B, Chapter 54;                 (3)     successfully complete at least 15 semester credit   hours during the fall semester of the student's freshman year at the   general academic teaching institution or the private or independent   institution of higher education;                 (4)     apply for admission to the program not later than a   date, as designated by the council, that occurs at the beginning of   the spring semester of the student's freshman year at the general   academic teaching institution or the private or independent   institution of higher education; and                 (5)     meet criteria established by the council   regarding:                       (A)     minimum high school and undergraduate grade   point averages;                       (B)     location in a county in this state with a   population of less than 25,000; and                       (C)     any other matter the council considers   appropriate.           (b)     For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), a student is not a   Texas resident as described by that subdivision solely because the   student is eligible to pay tuition at the resident tuition rate.           Sec.   51.856.     ELIGIBILITY TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATION IN   PROGRAM. (a)   To be eligible to continue participation in the rural   program, an undergraduate student who is admitted to the program   must:                 (1)     meet criteria established by the council   regarding:                       (A)     courses taken and the minimum grade point   average for those courses during enrollment at the general academic   teaching institution or the private or independent institution of   higher education;                       (B)  progress in those courses;                       (C)     achievement of an acceptable score on the   Medical College Admission Test or any equivalent examination taken   as a precondition for enrollment in or admission to a participating   medical school; and                       (D)     any other matter the council considers   appropriate;                 (2)  participate in:                       (A)     internship programs described by Section   51.854(b) in:                             (i)     the summers immediately following the   student's freshman, sophomore, and junior years; and                             (ii)     if required, the summer immediately   following the student's senior year; and                       (B)     any undergraduate or graduate mentoring   program required by the council; and                 (3)     exhibit intelligence, integrity, and personal and   emotional characteristics that are considered necessary for the   student to become an effective physician.           (b)     If an undergraduate student who is admitted to the   program fails to meet the requirements of Subsection (a) without   good cause as determined by the council, the council may terminate   that student's participation in the program at the end of the   semester during which the student failed to meet the requirements   of that subsection.   A student's participation in the program is   automatically terminated if the student fails to meet the   requirements of Subsection (a) for two consecutive semesters   without good cause.           Sec.   51.857.     COUNCIL AGREEMENT WITH STUDENT ADMITTED TO   PROGRAM. (a)   A student admitted to the program must enter into an   agreement with the council under which the student agrees to:                 (1)     maintain eligibility for continued participation   in the program; and                 (2)     repay any scholarship or stipend received unde [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]