Bill Text: TX HB2996 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a rural resident physician grant program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-08 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB2996 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB2996-Comm_Sub.html
85R7657 SRS-D | ||
By: Ashby, Shine | H.B. No. 2996 |
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relating to the establishment of a rural resident physician grant | ||
program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 58A, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter E to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER E. RURAL RESIDENT PHYSICIAN GRANT PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 58A.081. RURAL RESIDENT PHYSICIAN GRANT PROGRAM. (a) | ||
The board shall administer the Rural Resident Physician Grant | ||
Program as a competitive grant program to encourage the creation of | ||
new graduate medical education positions in rural and | ||
nonmetropolitan areas, with particular emphasis on the creation of | ||
rural training tracks. The board shall award grants to new or | ||
expanded physician residency programs at teaching hospitals and | ||
other appropriate health care entities according to the program | ||
criteria established under this section. | ||
(b) The board shall establish criteria for the grant program | ||
in consultation with one or more physicians, including a physician | ||
who practices in a rural area of this state, teaching hospitals, | ||
medical schools, and independent physician residency programs, and | ||
with other persons considered appropriate by the board. The | ||
program criteria must take into account whether a rural or | ||
nonmetropolitan area has the resources sufficient to support a | ||
physician residency program in a manner that would satisfy | ||
applicable residency program accreditation requirements. | ||
(c) The board may provide grants only to support a physician | ||
residency program: | ||
(1) that provides the level of medical care that is | ||
most needed in a rural or nonmetropolitan area; and | ||
(2) until the program becomes eligible for federal | ||
grant funding. | ||
(d) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used only | ||
to pay direct costs associated with creating or maintaining a | ||
residency position, including the salary of the resident physician. | ||
(e) Each grant application must: | ||
(1) specify the number of residency positions expected | ||
to be created or maintained with the grant money; | ||
(2) specify the grant amount requested for each year; | ||
(3) include documentation of infrastructure and | ||
staffing to satisfy applicable residency program accreditation | ||
requirements; | ||
(4) include documentation that the residency program | ||
will set a primary goal of producing physicians who are prepared for | ||
practice in a rural area; and | ||
(5) include evidence of support for residency training | ||
by sponsoring institutions and the community. | ||
(f) The board shall award grants for all residency positions | ||
awarded a grant under this section in the preceding year before | ||
awarding a grant for a residency position that did not receive a | ||
grant in the preceding year, provided that the applicable grant | ||
recipient from the preceding year complies with all conditions of | ||
the grant as described by Subsection (g) and satisfies the grant | ||
eligibility requirements. | ||
(g) The board shall monitor physician residency programs | ||
receiving grants as necessary to ensure compliance with the grant | ||
program and shall require the return of any unused grant money by, | ||
or shall decline to award additional grants to, a residency program | ||
that receives a grant but fails to: | ||
(1) create and fill, within a reasonable period, the | ||
number of residency positions proposed in the program's grant | ||
application; or | ||
(2) satisfy any other conditions of the grant imposed | ||
by the board. | ||
(h) The board shall use money forfeited under Subsection (g) | ||
to award grants to other eligible applicants. With respect to the | ||
physician residency program forfeiting the grant, the board may | ||
restore grant money or award additional grants, as applicable, to | ||
the program as soon as practicable after the program satisfies all | ||
conditions of the grant. | ||
(i) The board shall adopt rules for the administration of | ||
the grant program. The rules must include: | ||
(1) administrative provisions governing: | ||
(A) eligibility criteria for grant applicants; | ||
(B) grant application procedures; | ||
(C) guidelines relating to grant amounts; | ||
(D) guidelines relating to the number of grants | ||
to be awarded each year, subject to available funds; | ||
(E) procedures for evaluating grant | ||
applications; | ||
(F) procedures for monitoring the use of grants; | ||
and | ||
(G) reporting requirements for grant recipients; | ||
(2) methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants; | ||
and | ||
(3) any conditions relating to the receipt and use of a | ||
grant as considered appropriate by the board. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective | ||
date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board | ||
shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the | ||
grant program established under Subchapter E, Chapter 58A, | ||
Education Code, as added by this Act. The board may adopt the | ||
initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency rules. | ||
(b) Not later than October 1, 2017, the Texas Higher | ||
Education Coordinating Board shall establish the grant program | ||
required by Subchapter E, Chapter 58A, Education Code, as added by | ||
this Act, and shall begin to award grants under that program not | ||
later than January 1, 2018. | ||
SECTION 3. 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, 2017. |