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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation and implementation of the health |
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professional education 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 FF to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER FF. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9781. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "eligible |
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health professional education program" means: |
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(1) an accredited physician residency training |
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program; |
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(2) an accredited professional nursing program that |
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prepares students for initial licensure as registered nurses; |
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(3) an accredited vocational nursing program that |
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prepares students for licensure as licensed vocational nurses; |
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(4) an accredited advanced nurse practitioner program |
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leading to registration with the Board of Nurse Examiners as an |
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advanced nurse practitioner; |
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(5) an undergraduate or graduate physician assistant |
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program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on |
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Education for the Physician Assistant or its successor; or |
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(6) an accredited undergraduate or graduate allied |
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health program that prepares students to practice as allied health |
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professionals, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 295p. |
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Sec. 61.9782. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION GRANTS; |
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PURPOSE. (a) The board may award health professional education |
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grants to eligible health professional education programs at |
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institutions of higher education to: |
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(1) assist the programs in: |
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(A) providing new distance learning or |
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community-based education projects or activities; or |
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(B) expanding or enhancing existing distance |
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learning or community-based education projects or activities; and |
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(2) fund other related activities. |
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(b) The board may not award a grant under this section to |
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replace current funding for an existing distance learning or |
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community-based education project or activity. |
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Sec. 61.9783. USE OF GRANT. A grant awarded under this |
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subchapter may be used only for a purpose described by Section |
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61.9782. |
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Sec. 61.9784. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an |
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advisory committee to advise the board on successful strategies for |
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assisting eligible health professional education programs in |
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providing, expanding, or enhancing distance learning or |
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community-based education projects or activities. |
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Sec. 61.9785. ANNUAL REPORTS. (a) At the end of each |
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academic year for which an eligible health professional education |
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program is awarded a grant under this subchapter and in the form the |
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board requires, the program shall provide to the board a written |
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report regarding the use of the grant. |
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(b) Not later than October 31 of each year, the board shall |
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provide to the governor and the legislature a written report |
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consolidated from the reports submitted to the board under |
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Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. Beginning with the 2008-2009 academic year, the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall award grants under |
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the health professional education grant program created under |
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Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |