BILL ANALYSIS
By: Nelson
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Texas, along with the rest of the nation, is facing a growing nursing shortage. The Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies has estimated that the number of Texas registered nurse graduates must increase by 50 percent between 2006 and 2010 in order to address the nursing shortage. The current dedication of money from the permanent fund for health-related programs to nursing education will expire on August 31, 2007.
S.B. 992 continues the current dedication of a portion of the tobacco lawsuit settlement funds to support nursing schools.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Sections 63.202(f) and (g), Education Code, as follows:
(f) Notwithstanding the limitation provided by Subsection (b), requires the grants awarded under Subsection (c) for the state fiscal biennium ending on August 31, 2009, rather than 2005, and the fiscal biennium ending on August 31, 2011, rather than 2007, by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to be awarded to programs preparing students for initial licensure as registered nurses or programs preparing qualified faculty members with a master's or doctoral degree for the program, including programs at two-year institutions of higher education, four-year general academic teaching institutions, health science centers, and independent or private institutions of higher education.
(g) Provides that this section and Subsection (f) expire on September 1, 2011, rather than 2007.
SECTION 2. States the effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.