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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Texas Hospital-Based Nursing |
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Education Partnership Grant Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter EE to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER EE. TEXAS HOSPITAL-BASED NURSING EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP |
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GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9750. PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to |
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establish the Texas Hospital-Based Nursing Education Partnership |
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Grant Program to increase the number of nurses in Texas by fostering |
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innovation through partnership models, leveraging existing |
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expertise and infrastructure in both practice and academia, and |
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expanding nursing education. |
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Sec. 61.9751. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Board" means the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "Hospital" means a hospital that is not owned or |
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operated by the federal government or the state. |
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(3) "Institution of higher education" means a public |
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junior college, public senior college or university, medical or |
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dental unit, public state college, or other agency of higher |
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education as defined in Chapter 61, Title 3, Education Code. |
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Sec. 61.9752. PROGRAM. A hospital-based nursing education |
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partnership program is established. The board shall administer the |
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hospital-based nursing education partnership program to make |
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grants to hospitals partnering with an accredited nursing education |
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program or programs at an institution or institutions of higher |
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education. The program shall support collaborative instructional |
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models between hospitals and institutions of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.9753. GRANTS. (a) A grant from the hospital-based |
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nursing education partnership program: |
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(1) must be expended on costs related to the |
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development and operation of: |
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(A) a nursing education program that leads to |
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initial licensure as a registered nurse and confers an associate |
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degree or bachelor of science degree in nursing; or |
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(B) a bridge program for associate degree to |
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bachelor of science degree in nursing or to master of science degree |
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in nursing with concentration in education; or bachelor of science |
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to master of science degree in nursing with concentration in |
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education; or |
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(C) an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing |
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degree program; and |
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(2) is contingent on the hospital-based nursing |
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education partnership program having been approved by the board and |
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the Board of Nurse Examiners. |
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(b) If granted to a hospital partnering with an institution |
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of higher education, the funding is contingent on the institution |
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of higher education enrolling additional students; and |
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(c) Funds not expended on the costs described by Subsection |
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(a)(1) shall be returned to the board for distribution to: |
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(1) other applicants under the hospital-based nursing |
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education partnership program; or |
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(2) through the Professional Nursing Shortage |
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Reduction Program or Nursing Innovation Grant Program. |
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Sec. 61.9754. PRIORITY FOR FUNDING. In awarding money for |
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the program under this subchapter, priority shall be given to |
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proposals that: |
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(1) are collaborative education models between any |
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combination of hospitals and institutions of higher education in |
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this state; |
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(2) have a demonstrable education model to: |
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(A) increase the number of licensed nurses and |
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nursing faculty, and |
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(B) improve student retention. |
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(3) are matched with other available funds, including |
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funds from a hospital, private or nonprofit entity, or institution |
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of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.9755. ADMINISTRATION. The board shall adopt rules |
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and regulations for the administration of the hospital-based |
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nursing education partnership grant program. |
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Sec. 61.9756. ANNUAL REPORT. (a) Each hospital that |
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receives funding shall submit an annual report. The report must |
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include accountability measures as established by the board. |
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(b) The board may adopt rules to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |