Senate Bill No. 305–Senator Rawson

 

March 17, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Requires Board of Regents of University of Nevada to establish Council on Graduate Medical Education. (BDR 34‑931)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included in Executive Budget.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to graduate medical education; requiring the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to establish a Council on Graduate Medical Education; authorizing the Council to establish a program to encourage physicians under certain circumstances to undertake graduate medical education in medical specialties in which there is a shortage of physicians practicing in this state; making an appropriation; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 396 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this

1-3  act.

1-4  Sec. 2.  As used in sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act, unless

1-5  the context otherwise requires, “Council” means the Council on

1-6  Graduate Medical Education created pursuant to section 3 of this

1-7  act.

1-8  Sec. 3.  1.  The Board of Regents shall establish a Council

1-9  on Graduate Medical Education at a facility within the System.

1-10      2.  The Council must consist of the following persons

1-11  appointed by the Board of Regents:

2-1  (a) The Dean of the University of Nevada School of Medicine;

2-2  (b) Not fewer than three persons who are actively engaged in

2-3  providing graduate medical education at the University of Nevada

2-4  School of Medicine;

2-5  (c) A person who represents the health care insurance industry

2-6  in this state; and

2-7  (d) Not fewer than three persons who represent the general

2-8  public.

2-9  3.  Except for the Dean, each member serves a term of 2

2-10  years.

2-11      4.  The Council shall meet at least quarterly.

2-12      5.  The Dean of the University of Nevada School of Medicine

2-13  shall serve as Chairman of the Council. The Council shall

2-14  annually elect a Vice Chairman from among its members.

2-15      6.  A majority of the members of the Council constitutes a

2-16  quorum, and a majority of members present must concur in any

2-17  decision.

2-18      Sec. 4.  1.  A member of the Council is not entitled to receive

2-19  any compensation for his services.

2-20      2.  Each member of the Council is entitled to receive while

2-21  attending meetings of the Council or while engaging in official

2-22  business of the Council within the State:

2-23      (a) A per diem expense allowance not to exceed the greater of:

2-24          (1) The rate of $60; or

2-25          (2) The maximum rate established by the Federal

2-26  Government for the locality in which the travel is performed.

2-27      (b) An amount equal to the allowance for travel by private

2-28  conveyance provided for state officers and employees generally

2-29  pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS 281.160.

2-30      3.  The per diem allowance and travel expenses of:

2-31      (a) A member of the Council who is an officer or employee of

2-32  this state, including the System, or a local government thereof

2-33  must be paid by the state agency or the local government.

2-34      (b) Any other member of the Council must be paid by the

2-35  Board of Regents.

2-36      4.  Each member of the Council who is an officer or employee

2-37  of this state, including the System, or a local government must be

2-38  relieved from his duties without loss of his regular compensation

2-39  so that he may perform his duties relating to the Council in the

2-40  most timely manner practicable. A state agency or local

2-41  government shall not require an officer or employee who is a

2-42  member of the Council to:

2-43      (a) Make up the time he is absent from work to fulfill his

2-44  obligations as a member of the Council; or

2-45      (b) Take annual leave or compensatory time for the absence.

3-1  5.  The Board of Regents shall provide such administrative

3-2  support to the Council as is required to carry out its duties.

3-3  Sec. 5.  The Board of Regents may:

3-4  1.  Apply for any gift, grant or other money available for

3-5  graduate medical education from the Federal Government or any

3-6  other source for the support of the Council.

3-7  2.  Receive, accept, invest, disburse and account for all money

3-8  received from the Federal Government or any other source for the

3-9  Council.

3-10      3.  Adopt such regulations as it determines necessary to carry

3-11  out the provisions of sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act.

3-12      Sec. 6.  The Council shall:

3-13      1.  Determine the medical specialties in which there is a

3-14  shortage of physicians practicing in this state;

3-15      2.  Study and make recommendations to the Board of Regents

3-16  and the Legislature concerning options for financing graduate

3-17  medical education; and

3-18      3.  Advise the Board of Regents and the Legislature on the

3-19  status and needs of physicians seeking graduate medical

3-20  education.

3-21      Sec. 7.  1.  The Council may establish a program to

3-22  encourage physicians to undertake graduate medical education in

3-23  medical specialties in which there is a shortage of physicians

3-24  practicing in this state.

3-25      2.  The program must be administered by the Board of

3-26  Regents directly or through a designated officer or employee of the

3-27  System.

3-28      3.  The program may make gifts, grants or loans to a

3-29  physician to pursue graduate medical education if:

3-30      (a) The medical specialty in which the physician is seeking

3-31  graduate medical education has been determined by the Council to

3-32  be a medical specialty in which there is a shortage of physicians

3-33  practicing in this state;

3-34      (b) The physician:

3-35          (1) Is a citizen of the United States or is lawfully entitled to

3-36  remain and work in the United States;

3-37          (2) Has received the degree of doctor of medicine from a

3-38  medical school:

3-39             (I) Approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical

3-40  Education of the American Medical Association and Association

3-41  of American Medical Colleges; or

3-42             (II) Which provides a course of professional instruction

3-43  equivalent to that provided in medical schools in the United States

3-44  approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education; and

4-1       (3) Gives adequate assurances of his intentions to practice

4-2  in Nevada in that medical specialty upon the completion of his

4-3  graduate medical education;

4-4  (c) The program of graduate medical education for which the

4-5  gift, grant or loan is sought is a program of graduate medical

4-6  education or fellowship training approved by the:

4-7       (1) Council;

4-8       (2) Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

4-9  of the American Medical Association; or

4-10          (3) Coordinating Council of Medical Education of the

4-11  Canadian Medical Association; and

4-12      (d) The physician and program satisfy such other

4-13  requirements as may be established by the Board of Regents by

4-14  regulation.

4-15      Sec. 8.  1.  There is hereby appropriated from the State

4-16  General Fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada

4-17  the sum of $350,000 for the use of the Council on Graduate Medical

4-18  Education created pursuant to section 3 of this act.

4-19      2.  Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by

4-20  subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30,

4-21  2005, and reverts to the State General Fund as soon as all payments

4-22  of money committed have been made.

4-23      Sec. 9.  1.  This section and section 8 of this act become

4-24  effective upon passage and approval.

4-25      2.  Sections 1 to 7, inclusive, of this act become effective on

4-26  July 1, 2003.

 

4-27  H