HB5154 - Relating to the Joint Admission Medical Program Council.

      H.B. No. 5154         AN ACT   relating to the Joint Admission Medical Program Council.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 51.822, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 51.822.  JOINT ADMISSION MEDICAL PROGRAM. The Joint   Admission Medical Program is a program administered by the Joint   Admission Medical Program Council to:                (1)  provide mentoring and academic services to support   and encourage highly qualified, economically disadvantaged   students pursuing a medical education to complete a medical degree   and meet state workforce needs ;                (2)  award undergraduate and graduate scholarships and   summer stipends to those students; [ and ]                (3)  guarantee and facilitate the admission of those   students to at least one participating medical school, subject to   the conditions under Section 51.827 and under other provisions of   this subchapter ;                 (4)     align statewide educational and workforce goals to   increase medical jobs and stop workforce shortages; and                 (5)     promote the accessibility and equality of medical   education by addressing statewide barriers to entry and   participation for economically disadvantaged communities .          SECTION 2.  Section 51.823, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 51.823.  COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a)  The   participating medical schools shall jointly establish the Joint   Admission Medical Program Council . The council shall consist   [ consisting ] of one faculty member employed by and representing   each of the participating medical schools.          (c)  The council shall select one of its members to serve as   council chair for a term of two years. The chair shall:                 (1)  facilitate council meetings;                 (2)  ensure compliance with program goals; and                 (3)     represent the council in interactions with   relevant stakeholders, including the Texas Medical and Dental   Schools Application Service and legislative committees.           (d)     The council shall establish clear policies to ensure   effective communication among council members, including:                 (1)     procedures for convening regular meetings to   review program implementation and evaluate outcomes;                 (2)     protocols for disseminating an agenda or report   before a meeting;                 (3)     mechanisms for soliciting feedback from council   members to promote transparency and collaboration; and                 (4)     procedures for promoting public meetings to   students.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter V, Chapter 51, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 51.8235 to read as follows:           Sec.   51.8235.     COUNCIL MEETINGS. The council shall provide   notice of each council meeting, which must:                 (1)  be:                       (A)     posted in a place readily accessible and   available to the general public, including the program's Internet   website, at all times for at least 72 hours before the scheduled   time of the meeting; and                       (B)     distributed by e-mail, electronic media, or   other electronic notification sent directly to each participating   student at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting;   and                 (2)     include sufficient detail regarding the meeting's   agenda to inform participants and the general public of the topics   to be discussed or decided.          SECTION 4.  Section 51.824(a), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  The council shall:                (1)  recruit eligible undergraduate students for   admission to the program;                (2)  establish an application process for admitting   eligible undergraduate students to the program;                (3)  evaluate applications for admission to the program   according to the procedures for selecting participating students   under Subsection (b) and for selecting program alternates under   Section 51.8245;                (4)  monitor the implementation of the program;                (5)  assist in developing services to support and   encourage the pursuit of a medical education by participating   students and program alternates;                (6)  establish a process for participating students to:                      (A)  be matched to an internship program as   described by Subsection (c);                      (B)  be matched to any required undergraduate   mentoring program as described by Subsection (d);                      (C)  apply for admission to participating medical   schools;                      (D)  be matched to a participating medical school   as described by Subsection (e); and                      (E)  enroll in that school;                (7)  award to participating students undergraduate   scholarships and summer stipends, including a summer stipend for a   student who is required to participate in an internship program in   the summer immediately following the student's senior year;                (8)  award graduate scholarships to participating   students;                (9)  enter into an agreement with each student admitted   to the program, each program alternate, each participating medical   school, and each general academic teaching institution or private   or independent institution of higher education as required by this   subchapter; [ and ]                (10)   pursue opportunities to increase scholarship   money allocated to participating students to at least 30 percent of   the total amount appropriated for purposes of the program without   impeding the implementation of other program functions and goals,   including:                       (A)     coordinating efforts with the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board to request additional legislative   appropriations;                       (B)     soliciting gifts, grants, and donations   under Section 51.833;                       (C)     collaborating with private foundations,   corporations, and entities to secure supplemental funding; and                       (D)     prioritizing increasing the amount of   graduate medical scholarships over increasing the amount of other   scholarships;                 (11)     ensure that participating students are aware of   available counseling and relief services; and                 (12)   take any other action necessary to implement the   program.          SECTION 5.  Section 51.834, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as   follows:          (b)  The report must contain detailed information regarding:                (1)  any problems the council identifies in   implementing the program, including external or internal   challenges, deficiencies, or obstacles, with recommended solutions   for those problems , including recommendations for legislative   action to streamline and enhance the implementation of the program ;                (2)   an accounting of all [ the expenditure of any ]   money spent and received under this subchapter, including :                       (A)   legislative appropriations and private   funding sources;                       (B)  breakdowns of disbursements;                       (C)     the specific purposes for which money was   used; and                       (D)     a statement of the ending balance and any   unobligated and unexpended money remaining for the state fiscal   year ; [ and ]                (3)   the total number of students who are admitted to   the program;                 (4)   the number of students who are admitted to the   program and who are enrolled in each year of a baccalaureate,   graduate, or professional degree program offered by :                       (A)   a general academic teaching institution ;                       (B)   [ , ] a private or independent institution of   higher education ; [ , ] or                       (C)   a participating medical school, as   applicable ;                 (5)     the number of students, disaggregated by year of   enrollment, who, while enrolled in a baccalaureate, graduate, or   professional degree program at a general academic teaching   institution, private or independent institution of higher   education, or participating medical school, as applicable:                       (A)     were dismissed or withdrawn from the program   by the council;                       (B)  were placed on probation by the council; or                       (C)  voluntarily withdrew from the program;                 (6)     enrollment, withdrawal, and disciplinary data for   students described by Subdivision (5) for each academic year of a   baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degree program at a   general academic teaching institution, private [Text truncated for display. 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