S.B. No. 1066
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to meeting the graduate medical education needs of new
  medical degree programs offered by public institutions of higher
  education and to the employment status of certain residents
  participating in certain graduate medical education programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.05122 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.05122.  GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR
  NEW MEDICAL DEGREE PROGRAMS.  (a)  In this section, "graduate
  medical education program" has the meaning assigned by Section
  58A.001.
         (b)  As soon as practicable after an institution of higher
  education completes preliminary planning for a new doctor of
  medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree
  program, the institution promptly shall provide to the board a
  specific plan regarding the addition of first-year residency
  positions for the graduate medical education program to be offered
  in connection with the new degree program. The plan must propose an
  increase in the number of those first-year residency positions
  that, when combined with the total number of existing first-year
  residency positions in this state, will be sufficient to reasonably
  accommodate the number of anticipated graduates from all doctor of
  medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree
  programs that are offered in this state, including the degree
  program proposed by the institution, and to provide adequate
  opportunity for those graduates to remain in this state for the
  clinical portion of their education.
         (c)  Submission of a plan described by this section is a
  prerequisite for the board's approval of the proposed degree
  program.
         (d)  An institution's projected increase in first-year
  residency positions is presumed to be sufficient in its plan if the
  increase will achieve the purposes of this section with respect to
  all graduates from degree programs described by this section that
  are offered or will be offered by the institution.
         (e)  The institution may consult with the board as necessary
  to develop the plan required by this section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 312.003, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 312.003.  AGREEMENT REQUIRED. This chapter applies
  only if the [a] medical and dental unit or [and a] supported medical
  or dental school agrees [agree], either directly or through a
  coordinating entity, to provide or cause to be provided medical,
  dental, or other patient care or services or to perform or cause to
  be performed medical, dental, or clinical education, training, or
  research activities in a coordinated or cooperative manner in a
  public or nonprofit hospital.
         SECTION 3.  Section 312.007, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  A resident engaged in graduate medical education in a
  public or nonprofit hospital in association with a medical and
  dental unit is an employee of a state agency regardless of whether
  the resident receives a stipend or other payment from the medical
  and dental unit for services performed as a resident.
         SECTION 4.  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.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1066 passed the Senate on
  April 3, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2017, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1066 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
  Nays 0, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor