Relating to medical school admissions, coursework, academic standards, and employment decisions in this state.

89(R) HB 5294 - Senate Committee Report version - Bill Text

By: Bonnen (Senate Sponsor - Creighton)

H.B. No. 5294

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2025;

May 13, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on

Education K-16; May 26, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable

Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 2;

May 26, 2025, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 5294

By: King

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to medical school admissions, coursework, academic

standards, and employment decisions in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.3095 to read as follows:

Sec.

51.3095.

CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION

COURSEWORK AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS REVISIONS. (a) In this section,

"medical school" means:

(1) a medical school as defined by Section 61.501; or

(2)

any other institution of higher education, as

defined by Section 61.003, or school, department, or college of

such an institution, that awards medical degrees.

(b)

Each medical school shall ensure that at least 50

percent of the coursework offered in the curriculum required for a

medical degree or certificate assesses a student's performance on

the coursework based on the assignment of a letter grade from A to F

or a tiered system with at least four designations.

(c)

Except as required to comply with state or federal law,

a medical school may not revise its academic standards for the award

of a degree or certificate unless the medical school submits to the

legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board:

(1) a copy of the proposed standards;

(2)

a concise general statement of the reasons for the

proposed standards; and

(3)

the date on which the proposed standards would

become effective.

SECTION 2. Subchapter W, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.8425 to read as follows:

Sec.

51.8425.

CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO MEDICAL

SCHOOL ADMISSION. (a) In this section, "medical school" has the

meaning assigned by Section 51.3095.

(b)

In making admissions decisions for a medical degree or

certificate program, a medical school shall consider an applicant's

performance on a standardized test appropriate for the program that

focuses on knowledge of and critical thinking applicable to science

and medical practice, except that the applicant's performance on

the standardized test may not be used as the sole criterion for

consideration of the applicant.

(c)

Except as required to comply with state or federal law,

a medical school may not revise its academic standards for the

admission of a student to the medical school or to a degree or

certificate program unless the medical school submits to the

legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board:

(1) a copy of the proposed standards;

(2)

a concise general statement of the reasons for the

proposed standards; and

(3)

the date on which the proposed standards would

become effective.

SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.9247 to read as follows:

Sec.

51.9247.

CONSIDERATION OF RACE, SEX, COLOR, ETHNICITY,

OR NATIONAL ORIGIN IN MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS AND EMPLOYMENT

DECISIONS PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "medical school" has

the meaning assigned by Section 51.3095.

(b)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a medical

school may not grant preference on the basis of race, sex, color,

ethnicity, or national origin to an applicant:

(1)

for admission to the medical school or to a degree

or certificate program; or

(2) for employment by the medical school.

(c)

Nothing in this section may be construed as prohibiting

bona fide qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary

to the normal operation of a medical school.

SECTION 4. Section 51.3095(b), Education Code, as added by

this Act, applies only to coursework offered to students who

initially enroll in a medical school for the 2026 fall semester or a

subsequent academic term.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act to admissions

at medical schools apply beginning with admissions for the 2026

fall semester. Admissions for an academic period preceding that

semester are governed by the law in effect immediately before the

effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in

effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

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