Bill Text: TX HB291 | 2025 | 89th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Introduced

Texas House Bill 291 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating to medical school admissions, coursework, academic standards, and employment decisions in this state.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 78)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-08-22 - Filed [HB291 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB291-Introduced.html



	By: Bonnen	H.B. No. 291



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to medical school admissions, coursework, academic
	standards, and employment decisions in this state.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
	amended by adding Section 51.3095 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.3095. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION
	COURSEWORK AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS REVISIONS. (a) In this section,
	"medical school" means:
	(1) a medical school as defined by Section 61.501; or
	(2) any other institution of higher education, as
	defined by Section 61.003, or school, department, or college of
	such an institution, that awards medical degrees.
	(b) Each medical school shall ensure that at least 50
	percent of the coursework offered in the curriculum required for a
	medical degree or certificate assesses a student's performance on
	the coursework based on the assignment of a letter grade from A to F
	or a tiered system with at least four designations.
	(c) Except as required to comply with state or federal law,
	a medical school may not revise its academic standards for the award
	of a degree or certificate unless the medical school submits to the
	legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board:
	(1) a copy of the proposed standards;
	(2) a concise general statement of the reasons for the
	proposed standards; and
	(3) the date on which the proposed standards would
	become effective.
	SECTION 2. Subchapter W, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
	amended by adding Section 51.8425 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.8425. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO MEDICAL
	SCHOOL ADMISSION. (a) In this section, "medical school" has the
	meaning assigned by Section 51.3095.
	(b) In making admissions decisions for a medical degree or
	certificate program, a medical school shall consider an applicant's
	performance on a standardized test appropriate for the program that
	focuses on knowledge of and critical thinking applicable to science
	and medical practice, except that the applicant's performance on
	the standardized test may not be used as the sole criterion for
	consideration of the applicant.
	(c) Except as required to comply with state or federal law,
	a medical school may not revise its academic standards for the
	admission of a student to the medical school or to a degree or
	certificate program unless the medical school submits to the
	legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board:
	(1) a copy of the proposed standards;
	(2) a concise general statement of the reasons for the
	proposed standards; and
	(3) the date on which the proposed standards would
	become effective.
	SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
	amended by adding Section 51.9247 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.9247. CONSIDERATION OF RACE, SEX, COLOR, ETHNICITY,
	OR NATIONAL ORIGIN IN MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS AND EMPLOYMENT
	DECISIONS PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "medical school" has
	the meaning assigned by Section 51.3095.
	(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a medical
	school may not grant preference on the basis of race, sex, color,
	ethnicity, or national origin to an applicant:
	(1) for admission to the medical school or to a degree
	or certificate program; or
	(2) for employment by the medical school.
	(c) Nothing in this section may be construed as prohibiting
	bona fide qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary
	to the normal operation of a medical school.
	SECTION 4. Section 51.3095(b), Education Code, as added by
	this Act, applies only to coursework offered to students who
	initially enroll in a medical school for the 2026 fall semester or a
	subsequent academic term.
	SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act to admissions
	at medical schools apply beginning with admissions for the 2026
	fall semester. Admissions for an academic period preceding that
	semester are governed by the law in effect immediately before the
	effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
	effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.