85R6855 JCG-D     By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 2074       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to examination requirements for certain applicants for a   license to practice medicine.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 154.006(b), Occupations Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  A profile must contain the following information on each   physician:                (1)  the name of each medical school attended and the   dates of:                      (A)  graduation; or                      (B)  Fifth Pathway designation and completion of   the Fifth Pathway Program;                (2)  a description of all graduate medical education in   the United States or Canada;                (3)  the number of attempts taken by the physician to   pass each part of the licensing examination required under Section   155.051;                (4)  any specialty certification held by the physician   and issued by a medical licensing board that is a member of the   American Board of Medical Specialties or the Bureau of Osteopathic   Specialists;                (5) [(4)]  the number of years the physician has   actively practiced medicine in:                      (A)  the United States or Canada; and                      (B)  this state;                (6) [(5)]  the name of each hospital in this state in   which the physician has privileges;                (7) [(6)]  the physician's primary practice location;                (8) [(7)]  the type of language translating services,   including translating services for a person with impairment of   hearing, that the physician provides at the physician's primary   practice location;                (9) [(8)]  whether the physician participates in the   Medicaid program;                (10) [(9)]  a description of any conviction for a   felony, a Class A or Class B misdemeanor, or a Class C misdemeanor   involving moral turpitude;                (11) [(10)]  a description of any charges reported to   the board to which the physician has pleaded no contest, for which   the physician is the subject of deferred adjudication or pretrial   diversion, or in which sufficient facts of guilt were found and the   matter was continued by a court;                (12) [(11)]  a description of any disciplinary action   against the physician by the board;                (13) [(12)]  a description of any disciplinary action   against the physician by a medical licensing board of another   state;                (14) [(13)]  a description of the final resolution   taken by the board on medical malpractice claims or complaints   required to be opened by the board under Section 164.201;                (15) [(14)]  whether the physician's patient service   areas are accessible to disabled persons, as defined by federal   law;                (16) [(15)]  a description of any formal complaint   against the physician initiated and filed under Section 164.005 and   the status of the complaint; and                (17) [(16)]  a description of any medical malpractice   claim against the physician, not including a description of any   offers by the physician to settle the claim, for which the physician   was found liable, a jury awarded monetary damages to the claimant,   and the award has been determined to be final and not subject to   further appeal.          SECTION 2.  Section 155.056, Occupations Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read   as follows:          (a)  An applicant must pass:                (1)  each part of an examination within three attempts;   and                (2)  all parts of an examination collectively within 12   attempts.          (d)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1), an applicant must   pass each part of an examination within five attempts if the   applicant [The limitation on examination attempts by an applicant   under Subsection (a) does not apply to an applicant who]:                (1)  is licensed and in good standing as a physician in   another state;                (2)  has been licensed for at least five years;                (3)  does not hold a medical license in the other state   that has or has ever had any restrictions, disciplinary orders, or   probation; [and]                (4)  is specialty board certified by a specialty board   that:                      (A)  is a member of the American Board of Medical   Specialties; or                      (B)  is approved by the American Osteopathic   Association; and                (5)  will practice medicine, for at least three years,   in a practice serving a medically underserved population or in a   health professional shortage area, as those terms are defined by   Section 157.051 [passed all but one part of the examination   approved by the board within three attempts and:                      [(A)     passed the remaining part of the examination   within one additional attempt; or                      [(B)     passed the remaining part of the examination   within six attempts if the applicant:                            [(i)     is specialty board certified by a   specialty board that:                                  [(a)     is a member of the American Board   of Medical Specialties; or                                  [(b)     is approved by the American   Osteopathic Association; and                            [(ii)     has completed in this state an   additional two years of postgraduate medical training approved by   the board].          (e)  The board may establish by rule a process to verify that   a person, after meeting the other requirements of Subsection (d),   practices as required by Subsection (d)(5) for at least three   years.          SECTION 3.  Section 155.056(c), Occupations Code, is   repealed.          SECTION 4.  Section 155.056, Occupations Code, as amended by   this Act, applies only to an application for a license filed on or   after the effective date of this Act. An application filed before   the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect   immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect   for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.