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.
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