BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 3443
80R14829 CAS-D By: Howard, Donna (West, Royce)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Texas, like most other states, continues to face a registered nurse shortage that is projected to worsen without legislative intervention.
H.B. 3443 establishes a new Texas Hospital-Based Nursing Education Partnership Grant Program to increase the number of nurses in Texas by fostering innovation through partnership models, leveraging existing expertise and infrastructure in both practice and academia, and expanding nursing education.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Subchapter EE, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER EE. TEXAS HOSPITAL-BASED NURSING EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 61.9751. DEFINITIONS. Defines "hospital-based nursing education partnership" and "nursing education program."
Sec. 61.9752. PROGRAM: ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION; PURPOSE. (a) Provides that the Texas hospital-based nursing education program partnership grant program (program) is established.
(b) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to administer the program in accordance with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter.
(c) Requires THECB, under the program, to make grants to hospital-based nursing education partnerships to assist those partnerships to meet the state's needs for registered nurses by increasing the number of nursing education program graduates through innovative instruction through collaboration between hospitals and nursing education programs and the use of the existing expertise and facilities of those hospitals and programs.
Sec. 61.9753. GRANTS: CONDITIONS; LIMITATIONS. (a) Authorizes THECB to make a grant under this subchapter to a hospital-based nursing education partnership only if THECB makes certain determinations.
(b) Requires THECB, in establishing the cost-comparison criteria under Subsection (a)(3), to exclude reasonable development and initial implementation costs for the infrastructure necessary to support a hospital-based nursing education partnership.
(c) Authorizes a grant under this subchapter to be spent only on costs related to the development or operation of a hospital-based nursing education partnership that satisfies certain conditions.
(d) Requires a hospital-based nursing education partnership to return to THECB money granted to the partnership under this subchapter that the partnership does not spend on eligible costs under Subsection (c). Authorizes THECB, as it determines appropriate to best achieve the purposes of these programs, to take certain actions regarding the money.
Sec. 61.9754. PRIORITY FOR FUNDING. Requires THECB, in awarding a grant under this subchapter, to give priority to a hospital-based nursing education partnership that submits a proposal that meets certain criteria.
Sec. 61.9755. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. Authorizes THECB, in addition to money appropriated by the legislature, to solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9756. RULES. Requires THECB to adopt rules for the administration of the program. Requires the rules to include certain provisions and standards.
Sec. 61.9757. APPROVAL AS NURSING EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM. Requires THECB and the Board of Nurse Examiners to establish a single application process under which a hospital-based nursing education partnership may apply both for approval as a pilot program under Section 301.1605 (Pilot Programs for Innovative Applications), Occupations Code, and for a grant under this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9758. ANNUAL REPORT. Requires each hospital-based nursing education partnership that receives a grant under this subchapter to submit to THECB an annual report that includes information required by THECB rule, including information concerning the extent to which during the reporting period the partnership has complied with accountability standards established by THECB.
SECTION 2. Requires THECB, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the program established under Subchapter EE, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.