Overview                                                             
	The following floor amendment would modify language 
pertaining to the allocation of the funds to community colleges and 
reporting of data.

Required Action                                                        
	On page III-49 of the agency's bill pattern, amend Rider 40:                   
	Professional Nursing Shortage Reduction Program. The funds 
appropriated under Strategy D.1.12 for the Professional Nursing 
Shortage Reduction Program (§ 61.9621-61.9628, Education Code) are 
trusteed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to 
achieve the following outcomes: 1) increasing the number of 
graduates from professional nursing programs, 2) increasing the 
percentage of students in professional nursing programs that 
graduate within a reasonable time as determined by the board, and 3) 
increasing the number of graduates from master's and doctoral 
programs in nursing that join the faculty of a professional nursing 
program. Funds shall only be used to: 1) create additional nurse 
faculty positions, 2) provide temporary salary supplements for 
professional nursing faculty, and 3) engage qualified preceptors to 
expand faculty capacity. "Professional nursing program" has the 
meaning assigned by § 61.9621, Education Code. The funds 
appropriated shall be distributed in an equitable manner to 
institutions based on increases in numbers of nursing students 
graduating. Out of funds appropriated above in Strategy D.1.12, the 
Coordinating Board shall allocate up to $1,500,0002,250,000 in each 
year of the biennium to community colleges. If the board is unable 
to allocate the balance of the funds to general academic and 
health-related institutions, it may allocate any unused funds to 
community colleges.
	An institution is eligible to receive funds appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 only if it commits for fiscal year 2008 to spend 
funds on its professional nursing program at least equal to the 
funds spent in fiscal year 2007 and for funds appropriated for 
fiscal year 2009 only if it commits for FY 2009 to spend funds equal 
at least to the funds spent in fiscal year 2008. Funds received 
under Strategy D.1.12 shall not be included in these calculations.