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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to grant programs established to support nursing education |
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and training. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter Z-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER Z-1. GRANT PROGRAMS SUPPORTING NURSING EDUCATION AND |
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TRAINING |
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Sec. 61.9641. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Clinical site" means an acute care or |
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rehabilitation facility, a primary care setting, a long-term care |
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facility, a nursing home, a residential care setting, or any other |
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site identified by the board as providing clinical learning |
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experiences for nursing students. |
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(2) "Nursing advisory committee" means the nursing |
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advisory committee established under Section 104.0155, Health and |
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Safety Code. |
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Sec. 61.9642. CLINICAL SITE NURSE PRECEPTOR GRANT PROGRAM. |
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(a) The board, in consultation with the nursing advisory |
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committee, shall establish and administer a program to award grants |
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to eligible clinical sites to support the use of nurse preceptors in |
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providing clinical training to nursing students. |
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(b) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a |
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clinical site must: |
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(1) provide clinical training to nursing students |
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through the use of one or more nurse preceptors; |
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(2) comply with any clinical site requirements |
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established by the board; and |
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(3) comply with any other requirements adopted by |
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board rule. |
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Sec. 61.9643. CLINICAL SITE INNOVATION AND COORDINATION |
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PROGRAM. The board shall establish and administer a program to |
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award grants to eligible clinical sites that create and operate |
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innovative pilot programs that will support nursing performed at |
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clinical sites in this state by increasing the number of nurses, |
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improving the working environment for nurses, improving the |
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retention of nurses, addressing workplace safety, and coordinating |
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with other clinical sites any solutions found to address common |
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nursing concerns. |
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Sec. 61.9644. NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM: PART-TIME |
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POSITIONS. (a) The board shall award grants under a nursing |
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faculty grant program to eligible institutions of higher education |
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to provide funding for qualified nursing staff working at clinical |
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sites who serve as part-time nursing faculty at those institutions. |
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(b) The amount of a grant and the number of grants to be |
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awarded must be based on the total number of nursing staff serving |
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as part-time faculty in institutions of higher education throughout |
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the state in the year for which the grant is awarded. |
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(c) A grant received under this section must be expended to |
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support the applicable nursing faculty positions, including the |
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faculty stipend. |
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(d) An institution of higher education must certify in the |
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grant application the number of unfilled faculty positions to which |
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the application applies and, after a grant is awarded, must certify |
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which of those positions have been filled before receipt of the |
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grant funds. |
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(e) The board shall prescribe the dates for the submission |
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of applications and the award of grants under this section to ensure |
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that a grant recipient has sufficient time to prepare for receipt |
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and effective use of the grant funds before the academic period for |
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which the grant is awarded. |
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(f) Grant amounts are awarded under this section for two |
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consecutive state fiscal years. The board may distribute a grant |
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amount for nursing faculty only on receiving the certification from |
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the institution of higher education that the applicable nurse |
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faculty position has been filled. For each first-year nursing |
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faculty position for which a clinical site receives an initial |
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grant amount in a state fiscal year, the board shall make available |
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an equal grant amount for the subsequent state fiscal year |
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contingent on filling the part-time nursing faculty positions |
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funded by the grant in that second year. |
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Sec. 61.9645. NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM: CLINICAL |
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TRAINING. (a) The board shall award grants under a nursing faculty |
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grant program to eligible clinical sites to provide funding for |
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qualified nursing faculty of institutions of higher education who |
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seek to obtain additional clinical training by working part-time at |
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a clinical site. |
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(b) The amount of a grant and the number of grants to be |
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awarded must be based on the total number of nursing faculty in |
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institutions of higher education throughout the state in the year |
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for which the grant is awarded. |
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Sec. 61.9646. FUNDS. (a) In consultation with the nursing |
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advisory committee, the board shall allocate funds appropriated for |
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purposes of this subchapter and any other funds received as |
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described by Subsection (b) as the board considers appropriate to |
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further the purposes of this subchapter. |
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(b) In addition to money appropriated by the legislature, |
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the board may solicit, accept, and spend gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any public or private source for the purposes of the |
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grant programs established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9647. RULES. In consultation with the nursing |
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advisory committee, the board shall adopt rules for the |
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administration of the grant programs established under this |
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subchapter. The rules must include: |
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(1) administrative provisions relating to the |
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awarding of grants under this subchapter, such as: |
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(A) eligibility criteria for clinical sites or |
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institutions of higher education, as applicable; |
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(B) grant application procedures; |
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(C) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
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(D) procedures for evaluating grant |
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applications; and |
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(E) procedures for monitoring the use of grants; |
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and |
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(2) methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants |
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that: |
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(A) use data reasonably available to the board or |
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the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies; and |
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(B) evaluate transferability and scalability of |
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innovation programs. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the |
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grant programs required by Subchapter Z-1, Chapter 61, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act. The board may adopt the initial rules in |
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the manner provided by law for emergency rules. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2023, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall establish the grant programs |
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required by Subchapter Z-1, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, and shall begin to award grants under those programs not |
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later than January 1, 2024. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2023. |