By: Kolkhorst, et al. S.B. No. 25
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to support for nursing-related postsecondary education,
  including scholarships to nursing students, loan repayment
  assistance to nurses and nursing faculty, and grants to nursing
  education programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 61.651(1), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
               (1)  "Professional nursing student" means a student
  enrolled in:
                     (A)  an institution of higher education; or
                     (B)  a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally
  accredited college or university operating in accordance with a
  memorandum of understanding with this state under an executive
  order issued by the governor [a private or independent institution
  of higher education] in a course of study leading to an initial or
  an advanced degree in professional nursing.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.655, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 61.655.  PURPOSE; ELIGIBILITY. (a) A scholarship
  program[, matching fund program,] or loan repayment program
  established under this subchapter shall be established and
  administered in a manner that the board determines best promotes
  the health care and educational needs of this state.
         (b)  The board may establish multiple categories of persons
  to receive scholarships[, matching funds,] and loan repayments.
  The board may include faculty from professional nursing programs
  with master's degrees or doctorates among the categories of persons
  authorized to receive loan repayments.
         (c)  Each year funds are available, the board shall establish
  the categories of persons eligible to receive scholarships[,
  matching funds,] and loan repayments and the criteria for selecting
  persons to be assisted under each category. The criteria:
               (1)  must include that the person be enrolled in, or
  have outstanding student loans for education received at, as
  applicable to the program:
                     (A)  an institution of higher education; or 
                     (B)  a nonprofit college or university described
  by Section 61.651(1)(B); and
               (2)  may include:
                     (A) [(1)]  scholastic ability and performance;
                     (B) [(2)]  financial need;
                     (C) [(3)]  the geographical area in which the
  person is likely to practice;
                     (D) [(4)]  whether the person receives Temporary
  Assistance for Needy Families [Aid to Families with Dependent
  Children] or participates in another public welfare program;
                     (E) [(5)]  employment by a state agency;
                     (F) [(6)]  employment on a nursing school faculty
  or a person's intention to seek employment on a nursing school
  faculty;
                     (G) [(7)]  whether the person is practicing in a
  geographical area, a practice setting, or an area of practice with
  an acute nursing shortage or is likely to practice in such an area;
                     (H) [(8)]  the type of certificate or academic
  degree held or pursued; or
                     (I) [(9)]  any additional factors the board
  considers relevant to promoting the health care and educational
  needs of the state.
         SECTION 3.  Section 61.656, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
  follows:
         (d)  The board shall distribute information about the
  scholarship program[, matching fund program,] and loan repayment
  program established under this subchapter to:
               (1)  employers of registered nurses or licensed
  vocational nurses;
               (2)  associations of employers;
               (3)  schools and educational programs for registered
  nurses or licensed vocational nurses; and
               (4)  professional associations of registered nurses or
  licensed vocational nurses.
         (e)  The rules adopted under this section must provide that
  not more than 10 percent of the total amount of scholarships or
  repayment assistance awarded under a program established under this
  subchapter in a year may be awarded to persons enrolled in, or for
  the repayment of student loans for education received at, as
  applicable to the program, a nonprofit college or university
  described by Section 61.651(1)(B).
         SECTION 4.  Section 61.658(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The board may structure the scholarship program[, the
  matching fund program,] and the loan repayment program established
  under this subchapter to secure funds available under federal
  matching programs.
         SECTION 5.  Section 61.9822, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 61.9822.  ELIGIBILITY.  To be eligible to receive loan
  repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse must:
               (1)  apply to the board;
               (2)  at the time of application for repayment
  assistance have been employed part-time or full-time for at least
  one year as, and be currently employed part-time or full-time as, a
  faculty member of a nursing degree program at an institution of
  higher education or a private or independent institution of higher
  education; and
               (3)  comply with any additional requirements adopted by
  board rule.
         SECTION 6.  Sections 61.9823(a) and (b), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  On qualifying for loan repayment assistance under this
  subchapter, a nurse may receive repayment assistance for each year
  of part-time or full-time employment as a faculty member of a
  nursing degree program at an institution of higher education or
  private or independent institution of higher education, not to
  exceed five years.
         (b)  The board by rule shall determine the maximum amount of
  loan repayment assistance received by a nurse under this subchapter
  [may not exceed $7,000] in any one year.  The board shall base the
  amount of loan repayment assistance received by a nurse for
  part-time employment on the proportion of the number of hours
  worked by the nurse to the number of hours worked by a full-time
  nurse.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 63.202(f) and (g), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (f)  Notwithstanding the limitation provided by Subsection
  (b), grants awarded under Subsection (c) for the state fiscal
  biennium ending on August 31, 2025 [2021], and the fiscal biennium
  ending on August 31, 2027 [2023], by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board shall be awarded to programs preparing students
  for initial licensure as registered nurses or programs preparing
  qualified faculty members with a master's or doctoral degree for
  the program, including programs at two-year institutions of higher
  education, four-year general academic teaching institutions,
  health science centers, and independent or private institutions of
  higher education, or to the nursing resource section established
  under Section 105.002(b), Health and Safety Code.  In awarding
  grants under this subsection, the coordinating board may:
               (1)  give priority to institutions proposing to address
  the shortage of registered nurses by promoting innovation in
  education, recruitment, and retention of nursing students and
  qualified faculty;
               (2)  award grants on a competitive basis;
               (3)  consider the availability of matching funds; and
               (4)  fund a study by the nursing resource section to
  evaluate the competencies of clinical judgment and behaviors that
  professional nursing students should possess at the time of
  graduation.
         (g)  Subsection (f) and this subsection expire September 1,
  2027 [2023].
         SECTION 8.  The following provisions of the Education Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Sections 61.653 and 61.657; and
               (2)  Section 61.656(c).
         SECTION 9.  (a)  As soon as practicable after the effective
  date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt rules necessary to administer the changes in law made by
  this Act.
         (b)  Section 61.655, Education Code, as amended by this Act,
  applies beginning with scholarships and loan repayment assistance
  awarded under a program established under Subchapter L, Chapter 61,
  Education Code, for the 2024-2025 academic year.  Scholarships and
  loan repayment assistance awarded under a program established under
  Subchapter L, Chapter 61, Education Code, for an academic year
  before the 2024-2025 academic year 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.
         (c)  The changes in law made by this Act to Subchapter JJ,
  Chapter 61, Education Code, apply beginning with loan repayment
  assistance awarded under that subchapter for the 2024-2025 academic
  year. Loan repayment assistance awarded under Subchapter JJ,
  Chapter 61, Education Code, for an academic year before the
  2024-2025 academic year is 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 10.  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, 2023.