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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of professional nursing shortage reduction |
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program grants to encourage clinical nursing instruction by |
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part-time faculty at public or private institutions of higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 61.9623, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A grant from the professional nursing shortage |
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reduction program to a professional nursing program or other entity |
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involved with a professional nursing program in the preparation of |
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students for initial licensure as registered nurses must be: |
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(1) expended exclusively on costs related to: |
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(A) enrolling additional students; |
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(B) nursing faculty enhancement in accordance |
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with Section 61.96231; |
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(C) encouraging innovation in the recruitment |
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and retention of students, including the recruitment and retention |
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of Spanish-speaking and bilingual students; or |
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(D) identifying, developing, or implementing |
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innovative methods to make the most effective use of limited |
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professional nursing program faculty, instructional or clinical |
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space, and other resources, including: |
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(i) sharing administrative or |
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instructional personnel, facilities, and responsibilities between |
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two or more professional nursing programs located in the same |
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region of this state; and |
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(ii) using preceptors or part-time faculty |
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to provide clinical instruction in order to address the need for |
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qualified [reduce the number of new] faculty [needed] to |
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accommodate increased student enrollment in the professional |
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nursing program; |
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(2) contingent on the professional nursing program's |
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having been approved as a professional nursing program by the board |
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or the Board of Nurse Examiners, as appropriate, by September 1, |
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2001; |
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(3) contingent on the professional nursing program's |
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not being on probation with the Board of Nurse Examiners or other |
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accrediting body; and |
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(4) if granted to increase enrollments, contingent on |
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the professional nursing program's ability to enroll additional |
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students, including having the necessary classroom space and |
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clinical slots. |
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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. |