79R1774 CAS-D
By: Nelson S.B. No. 132
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to goals and strategies concerning the number of graduates
from professional nursing education programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.0812 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.0812. GOALS AND STRATEGIES CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF
GRADUATES FROM PROFESSIONAL NURSING PROGRAMS. (a) In this
section, "professional nursing program" has the meaning assigned by
Section 61.9621.
(b) Not later than March 1, 2006, the board, in consultation
with the Department of State Health Services, shall develop a model
to assist the board in determining for each academic year a target
number of graduates from the state's professional nursing programs,
goals for increasing the number of graduates from those programs,
and the levels of public and private funding needed to achieve the
target number and goals. The model must be designed to make both
short-term and long-term assessments and projections concerning:
(1) the number of registered nurses working in this
state and the number of registered nurses needed in this state; and
(2) the number of professional nursing program
graduates needed to address any difference between the numbers
described by Subdivision (1).
(c) The board shall:
(1) identify, develop, and study strategies for
increasing graduation rates from professional nursing programs to
meet the board's graduation goals, including strategies reported to
the board by institutions of higher education under Section
61.9626; and
(2) determine which of those strategies are likely to
be effective.
(d) Not later than January 1, 2007, the board shall report
to the legislature concerning the completion of the model under
Subsection (b) and the results of the study under Subsection (c).
The report must include the board's recommendations for
implementing effective strategies for increasing graduation rates
from professional nursing programs in this state.
(e) This section expires June 1, 2007.
SECTION 2. Section 61.9623(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A grant from the professional nursing shortage
reduction program to a professional nursing program or other entity
involved with a professional nursing program in the preparation of
students for initial licensure as registered nurses must be:
(1) expended exclusively on costs related to:
(A) enrolling additional students;
(B) assuring the retention of an adequate number
of qualified faculty, including providing faculty salaries; [or]
(C) encouraging innovation in the recruitment
and retention of students, including the recruitment and retention
of Spanish-speaking and bilingual students; or
(D) identifying, developing, or implementing
innovative methods to make the most effective use of limited
professional nursing program faculty, instructional or clinical
space, and other resources, including:
(i) sharing administrative or
instructional personnel, facilities, and responsibilities between
two or more professional nursing programs located in the same
region of this state; and
(ii) providing instruction through a
multidisciplinary approach that reduces the number of faculty
needed for the professional nursing program;
(2) contingent on the professional nursing program's
having been approved as a professional nursing program by the board
or the Board of Nurse Examiners, as appropriate, by September 1,
2001;
(3) contingent on the professional nursing program's
not being on probation with the Board of Nurse Examiners or other
accrediting body; and
(4) if granted to increase enrollments, contingent on
the professional nursing program's ability to enroll additional
students, including having the necessary classroom space and
clinical slots.
SECTION 3. Section 61.9624, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 61.9624. ADMINISTRATION. The board shall adopt rules
[and regulations] for the administration of the professional
nursing shortage reduction program. The board shall grant funds
under Sections 61.9623(a)(1)(A), [and] (B), and (D) in an equitable
manner among the various types of professional nursing programs.
The board shall grant funds under Section 61.6923(a)(1)(C) in a
manner that best promotes innovation in the recruitment and
retention of nursing students, including the recruitment and
retention of Spanish-speaking and bilingual students.
SECTION 4. Section 61.9626(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) Each institution of higher education that has a
professional nursing program shall submit an annual report to the
board detailing its strategy for increasing the number of students
that graduate from the program prepared for licensure as registered
nurses. The report must include:
(1) the capacity of the program, either alone or in
cooperation with one or more other programs, to graduate more
students prepared for licensure as registered nurses; and
(2) the resources allocated to increase the number of
students that graduate from the program prepared for licensure as
registered nurses.
SECTION 5. 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, 2005.