Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2475 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R9350 DNC-D
2	2	By: Simmons H.B. No. 2475
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to medical education coursework in cultural competence and
10	10	implicit bias.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 51.310 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 51.310. CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND IMPLICIT BIAS MEDICAL
15	15	EDUCATION COURSEWORK. (a) In this section:
16	16	(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
17	17	Education Coordinating Board.
18	18	(2) "Cultural competence" and "implicit bias" have the
19	19	meanings assigned by Section 153.017, Occupations Code.
20	20	(3) "Medical school" has the meaning assigned by
21	21	Section 61.501.
22	22	(b) The coordinating board by rule shall require a medical
23	23	school to offer coursework in cultural competence and implicit bias
24	24	approved by the Texas Medical Board under Section 153.017(b),
25	25	Occupations Code.
26	26	(c) A medical school may not award a student a doctor of
27	27	medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree
28	28	unless the student has successfully completed the number of hours
29	29	of coursework in cultural competence and implicit bias required by
30	30	coordinating board rule.
31	31	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, is
32	32	amended by adding Section 153.017 to read as follows:
33	33	Sec. 153.017. COURSEWORK IN CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND
34	34	IMPLICIT BIAS. (a) In this section:
35	35	(1) "Cultural competence" means, with respect to
36	36	health care, the ability to effectively address the health issues
37	37	of individuals from diverse backgrounds by applying knowledge,
38	38	empathy, and insight into the views on health that those
39	39	backgrounds present.
40	40	(2) "Implicit bias" means:
41	41	(A) bias in judgment or behavior that results
42	42	from subtle cognitive processes, including implicit attitudes and
43	43	stereotypes, that often operate at a level below conscious
44	44	awareness and without intentional control; or
45	45	(B) implicit attitudes and stereotypes that
46	46	result in beliefs or simple associations that a person makes
47	47	between an object and its evaluation that are automatically
48	48	activated by the mere presence, actual or symbolic, of the attitude
49	49	object.
50	50	(b) The board by rule shall approve coursework in cultural
51	51	competence and implicit bias for purposes of Section 51.310,
52	52	Education Code.
53	53	(c) Coursework approved under Subsection (b) must be:
54	54	(1) designed to address medical decisions and
55	55	treatment relating to a person's race, ethnicity, nationality,
56	56	language, sex, gender, physical and mental ability, and
57	57	socioeconomic status; and
58	58	(2) developed in consultation with:
59	59	(A) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
60	60	Board; and
61	61	(B) the Association of American Medical Colleges
62	62	or another nationally recognized organization that reviews medical
63	63	school curricula.
64	64	SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas Higher
65	65	Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Medical Board shall
66	66	adopt the rules necessary to implement this Act.
67	67	SECTION 4. Section 51.310(c), Education Code, as added by
68	68	this Act, applies only to a student who enrolls in a doctor of
69	69	medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree
70	70	program on or after January 1, 2026.
71	71	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.