1-1 By: Zaffirini, Lucio S.B. No. 40 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed November 13, 2000; January 10, 2001, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human 1-4 Services; April 9, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 9, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to tuition assistance for licensed vocational nursing 1-9 students who agree following their licensure to practice in 1-10 long-term care facilities. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter L, Chapter 61, Education Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 61.659 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 61.659. TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR VOCATIONAL NURSING 1-15 STUDENTS AGREEING TO PRACTICE IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. 1-16 (a) In this section, "long-term care facility" means: 1-17 (1) an ICF-MR, as defined by Section 531.002, Health 1-18 and Safety Code; 1-19 (2) a nursing facility; 1-20 (3) a residential facility licensed by the Department 1-21 of Protective and Regulatory Services; or 1-22 (4) another residential arrangement that provides care 1-23 to four or more children or adults who are unrelated to each other. 1-24 (b) In addition to any other financial aid program 1-25 established under this subchapter, the board shall establish and 1-26 administer a tuition assistance program for vocational nursing 1-27 students attending any school or program in this state who agree, 1-28 following licensure as a licensed vocational nurse, to practice in 1-29 a long-term care facility in this state. 1-30 (c) The board shall establish and administer the tuition 1-31 assistance program in a manner that the board determines best 1-32 promotes the needs of clients of long-term care facilities in this 1-33 state. The board shall determine the amount of tuition assistance 1-34 that a student may receive as the board considers appropriate in 1-35 order to maximize the effectiveness of the program, considering the 1-36 amount of money available for the program. 1-37 (d) The board shall adopt rules necessary for the 1-38 administration of this section, including rules providing: 1-39 (1) eligibility requirements; 1-40 (2) the maximum amount of any tuition assistance 1-41 available; 1-42 (3) the amount of time a student agrees to practice in 1-43 a long-term care facility; 1-44 (4) circumstances under which the board may cancel a 1-45 student's long-term care facility work obligation; 1-46 (5) circumstances under which a student will be 1-47 required to repay the amount of the tuition assistance plus 1-48 applicable interest and reasonable collection costs because of the 1-49 student's failure to satisfy the conditions of the assistance; and 1-50 (6) a method for computing the amount of money 1-51 required to be repaid by a student who fails to satisfy the 1-52 conditions of the tuition assistance. 1-53 (e) Once the student completes all courses required for 1-54 licensure, the student must begin fulfilling the long-term care 1-55 facility work obligation not later than a time specified by board 1-56 rule, unless the board grants the student, on a showing of good 1-57 cause, additional time to begin fulfilling the work obligation. 1-58 The student must complete the long-term care facility work 1-59 obligation within a period determined by board rule, unless the 1-60 board grants the student, on a showing of good cause, additional 1-61 time to complete the work obligation. 1-62 (f) The board shall require a person who receives tuition 1-63 assistance under this section to sign a promissory note 1-64 acknowledging the conditional nature of the tuition assistance and 2-1 promising to repay the amount of the tuition assistance plus 2-2 applicable interest and reasonable collection costs if the person 2-3 does not satisfy the applicable long-term care facility work 2-4 obligation within the required time or other conditions of the 2-5 assistance. The board shall determine the terms of the promissory 2-6 note. 2-7 (g) The board shall consult with the advisory committee 2-8 appointed under Section 61.657(b) concerning assistance provided 2-9 under this section to vocational nursing students. Section 2-10 61.657(c) also applies to this section. 2-11 (h) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes 2-12 of this section. The board may accept gifts, grants, and donations 2-13 from any public or private source for the purposes of this section. 2-14 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 2-15 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 2-16 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 2-17 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 2-18 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-19 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 2-20 establish the tuition assistance program under Section 61.659, 2-21 Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as the board 2-22 determines practicable. 2-23 * * * * *