BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 289

80R1252 KEL-D                                                                                                              By: Nelson

S/C on Higher Education

4/3/2007

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, the nursing shortage in Texas is exacerbated by a shortage of quality nursing faculty.  Nursing schools have difficulty recruiting and retaining faculty, as many practicing nurses make higher salaries than faculty and wish to remain in active practice. 

As proposed, S.B. 289 encourages nursing schools to utilize more part-time or adjunct faculty by allowing professional nursing shortage reduction grants to be used for part-time faculty.  This will help schools recruit nurses to serve as faculty who wish to remain in practice but also have a desire to teach.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 61.9623(a), Education Code, to require grant funds from the professional nursing shortage reduction program to be used towards preceptors or part-time faculty to provide clinical instruction.  Deletes existing text specifying that preceptors are to be used to reduce the number of new faculty necessary.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.