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          AN ACT
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        relating to the use of money from the permanent fund for  | 
      
      
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        health-related programs to provide grants to nursing education  | 
      
      
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        programs. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Subsections (f) and (g), Section 63.202,  | 
      
      
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        Education Code, are amended to read as follows: | 
      
      
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               (f)  Notwithstanding the limitation provided by Subsection  | 
      
      
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        (b), grants awarded under Subsection (c) for the state fiscal  | 
      
      
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        biennium ending on August 31, 2013 [2009], and the fiscal biennium  | 
      
      
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        ending on August 31, 2015 [2011], by the Texas Higher Education  | 
      
      
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        Coordinating Board shall be awarded to programs preparing students  | 
      
      
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        for initial licensure as registered nurses or programs preparing  | 
      
      
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        qualified faculty members with a master's or doctoral degree for  | 
      
      
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        the program, including programs at two-year institutions of higher  | 
      
      
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        education, four-year general academic teaching institutions,  | 
      
      
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        health science centers, and independent or private institutions of  | 
      
      
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        higher education, or to the nursing resource section established  | 
      
      
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        under Section 105.002(b), Health and Safety Code.  In awarding  | 
      
      
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        grants under this subsection, the coordinating board may: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  give priority to institutions proposing to address  | 
      
      
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        the shortage of registered nurses by promoting innovation in  | 
      
      
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        education, recruitment, and retention of nursing students and  | 
      
      
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        qualified faculty; | 
      
      
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                     (2)  award grants on a competitive basis; | 
      
      
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                     (3)  consider the availability of matching funds; and | 
      
      
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                     (4)  fund a study by the nursing resource section to  | 
      
      
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        evaluate the competencies of clinical judgment and behaviors that  | 
      
      
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        professional nursing students should possess at the time of  | 
      
      
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        graduation. | 
      
      
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               (g)  Subsection (f) and this subsection expire September 1,  | 
      
      
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        2015 [2011]. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives  | 
      
      
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        a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as  | 
      
      
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        provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this  | 
      
      
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        Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this  | 
      
      
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        Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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           President of the Senate | 
        Speaker of the House      | 
      
      
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               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 794 passed the Senate on  | 
      
      
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        April 7, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Secretary of the Senate     | 
      
      
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               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 794 passed the House on  | 
      
      
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        May 20, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 149, Nays 0, one  | 
      
      
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        present not voting. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Chief Clerk of the House    | 
      
      
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        Approved: | 
      
      
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        ______________________________  | 
      
      
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                    Date | 
      
      
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        ______________________________  | 
      
      
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                  Governor |