HBA-DMH H.B. 1018 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1018 By: Hardcastle Public Health 2/11/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Many rural communities in Texas are experiencing a shortage of health care professionals. To help rural and medically underserved areas recruit physicians from out of state, House Bill 1018 requires the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners to implement an expedited licensing process for physicians who are already licensed in another state and intend to pracitce in a rural community in Texas. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners in SECTION 1 (Section 155.1025, Occupations Code) of this bill. ANALYSIS House Bill 1018 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners to adopt rules for expediting any application for a license to practice medicine made by a person who is licensed to practice medicine in another state and who submits an affidavit with the application that the applicant intends to practice medicine in a rural community as determined by the Center for Rural Health Initiatives. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.