By Moncrief                                           S.B. No. 1100
         77R7974 KEL-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to nursing home pilot sites to provide research, training,
 1-3     and education in health-related disciplines regarding the care of
 1-4     residents of nursing homes.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 61.088 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 61.088.  NURSING HOME PILOT SITES. (a)  With the
 1-9     agreement of the participating medical and dental units, the board
1-10     shall select two nursing home pilot sites in this state to be
1-11     affiliated with one or more medical and dental units to provide
1-12     research, training, and education regarding the appropriate level
1-13     of medical and health care in appropriate disciplines for residents
1-14     of nursing homes.
1-15           (b)  The board shall coordinate with appropriate entities to
1-16     offer at each nursing home pilot site training programs for
1-17     physicians, registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, nursing
1-18     assistants, nursing home administrators, and nursing home
1-19     inspectors and students of institutions of higher education degree
1-20     programs in those disciplines.
1-21           (c)  A training program must incorporate:
1-22                 (1)  training at the nursing home pilot site;
1-23                 (2)  continuing education courses offered at affiliated
1-24     medical and dental units; and
 2-1                 (3)  instruction in methods for improving the level of
 2-2     care provided to residents of nursing homes and for implementing
 2-3     the level of care at other locations in this state.
 2-4           (d)  The appropriate level of care needed for residents of
 2-5     nursing homes is to be established based on industry research and
 2-6     on models of practice across all medical and health disciplines.
 2-7           SECTION 2. On the agreement of appropriate medical and dental
 2-8     units, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall select
 2-9     two nursing home pilot sites under Section 61.088, Education Code,
2-10     as added by this Act, as soon as practicable.
2-11           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-12     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-13     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-14     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-15     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.