Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB994 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	By: Harrison H.B. No. 994
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6	6	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	7	AN ACT
8	8	relating to the issuance of a license to practice medicine to
9	9	certain applicants licensed or educated in a foreign country.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Sections 155.012 and 155.013 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 155.012. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE TO APPLICANT LICENSED TO
14	14	PRACTICE MEDICINE IN CERTAIN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. Notwithstanding
15	15	Sections 155.003, 155.004, 155.005, and 155.051, the board shall
16	16	issue a license to practice medicine to an applicant who presents
17	17	proof satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
18	18	(1) is a resident of and licensed in good standing to
19	19	practice medicine in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New
20	20	Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, or the United
21	21	Kingdom;
22	22	(2) has been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or
23	23	a substantially similar degree by a program of medical education
24	24	determined by the board to be in good standing in accordance with
25	25	board rule;
26	26	(3) has:
27	27	(A) completed a residency or substantially
28	28	similar post-graduate medical training in the applicant's country
29	29	of residence; or
30	30	(B) practiced as a medical professional
31	31	performing the duties of a physician in the applicant's country of
32	32	residence for not less than two years;
33	33	(4) has proficiency in the English language; and
34	34	(5) is authorized under federal law to work in the
35	35	United States.
36	36	Sec. 155.013. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE TO GRADUATE OF CERTAIN
37	37	BOARD-APPROVED FOREIGN MEDICAL PROGRAMS. (a) Notwithstanding
38	38	Sections 155.003, 155.004, and 155.005, the board shall issue a
39	39	license to practice medicine to an applicant who satisfies:
40	40	(1) the eligibility requirements of this section; and
41	41	(2) the examination requirements of Section 155.051.
42	42	(b) To be eligible for a license under this section, an
43	43	applicant must present proof satisfactory to the board that the
44	44	applicant:
45	45	(1) has been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or
46	46	a substantially similar degree by a foreign medical program
47	47	approved under Subsection (c);
48	48	(2) is licensed in good standing to practice medicine
49	49	in another country;
50	50	(3) has:
51	51	(A) completed a residency or substantially
52	52	similar post-graduate medical training in the applicant's country
53	53	of licensure; or
54	54	(B) practiced as a medical professional
55	55	performing the duties of a physician in the applicant's country of
56	56	licensure for not less than two years;
57	57	(4) has proficiency in the English language; and
58	58	(5) is authorized under federal law to work in the
59	59	United States.
60	60	(c) The board shall adopt rules regarding the approval of
61	61	foreign medical programs for purposes of this section. Rules
62	62	adopted under this subsection must provide that a foreign medical
63	63	program is eligible to apply under this section only if the program
64	64	is a medical school, residency program, medical internship program,
65	65	or other entity that provides medical education or training outside
66	66	of the United States that is substantially similar to the education
67	67	or training provided by a medical school described by Section
68	68	155.003(a)(4).
69	69	(d) The board shall approve an application under this
70	70	section not later than the 120th day after the date the application
71	71	is submitted unless:
72	72	(1) the board determines the applicant does not meet
73	73	the eligibility requirements described by Subsection (c); or
74	74	(2) the board finds by clear and convincing evidence
75	75	that the majority of the program's graduates are not likely to
76	76	provide medical care that satisfies applicable board standards
77	77	relating to safety, competency, or professional conduct in the
78	78	practice of medicine.
79	79	(e) A foreign medical program may appeal the board's denial
80	80	of the program's application under this section. The appeal is
81	81	considered to be a contested case under Chapter 2001, Government
82	82	Code.
83	83	(f) The board shall approve for purposes of this section a
84	84	foreign medical program if at least five graduates of the program
85	85	have been issued a license to practice medicine under Section
86	86	155.1015(c).
87	87	(g) The board shall maintain on the board's Internet website
88	88	a list of all foreign medical programs approved under this section
89	89	and provide a copy of the list on request.
90	90	SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is
91	91	amended by adding Section 155.1015 to read as follows:
92	92	Sec. 155.1015. ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL LICENSE TO CERTAIN
93	93	FOREIGN MEDICAL PROGRAM GRADUATES WITH OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT. (a)
94	94	On application, the board shall issue a provisional license to
95	95	practice medicine to an applicant who:
96	96	(1) has been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or
97	97	a substantially similar degree by a foreign program of medical
98	98	education determined to be in good standing in accordance with
99	99	board rule;
100	100	(2) is licensed in good standing to practice medicine
101	101	in another country;
102	102	(3) has:
103	103	(A) completed a residency or substantially
104	104	similar post-graduate medical training in the applicant's country
105	105	of licensure; or
106	106	(B) practiced as a medical professional
107	107	performing the duties of a physician in the applicant's country of
108	108	licensure for not less than two years;
109	109	(4) has proficiency in the English language;
110	110	(5) is authorized under federal law to work in the
111	111	United States;
112	112	(6) passes the examination required by Section
113	113	155.051; and
114	114	(7) has been offered employment in this state as a
115	115	physician by a person who provides health care services in the
116	116	normal course of business, including a health system, hospital,
117	117	hospital-based facility, freestanding emergency facility, or
118	118	urgent care clinic.
119	119	(b) A provisional license issued under this section expires
120	120	on the earlier of:
121	121	(1) the date the board issues the provisional license
122	122	holder a license under this subtitle or denies the provisional
123	123	license holder's application for a license under Subsection (c); or
124	124	(2) the third anniversary of the date the provisional
125	125	license was issued.
126	126	(c) On application, the board shall issue a license under
127	127	this subtitle to the holder of a provisional license under this
128	128	section if the provisional license holder:
129	129	(1) will have practiced under the provisional license
130	130	for at least three years at the time the license will be issued;
131	131	(2) passes the examination required by Section
132	132	155.051; and
133	133	(3) satisfies any other requirement under board rule
134	134	for the issuance of a license under this subsection.
135	135	SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas
136	136	Medical Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement Sections
137	137	155.012, 155.013, and 155.1015, Occupations Code, as added by this
138	138	Act.
139	139	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.