The bill, S.B. No. 1430, mandates that public and nonprofit hospitals provide leave for certain students, interns, residents, and fellows undergoing clinical education to receive an annual comprehensive health examination. Specifically, it requires that these individuals be granted at least six consecutive hours of leave each year for this purpose, and the hospital must offer the examination at no charge. Additionally, the bill stipulates that the compensation for the student, intern, resident, or fellow cannot be reduced due to the leave taken for the examination.

To implement this requirement, the bill amends Section 312.004 of the Health and Safety Code, allowing contracting parties to determine the terms of their contracts while adding a new provision (Section 312.0045) that explicitly outlines the leave requirement for health examinations. The changes will only apply to contracts entered into on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Contracts established before this date will continue to be governed by the previous law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 312.004 (Health and Safety Code 312)