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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to incentives to recruit and retain allied health |
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education program faculty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 54.225 and 54.226 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.225. CHILDREN OF ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAM FACULTY. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Allied health profession" means the profession |
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practiced by allied health professionals, as defined by 42 U.S.C. |
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Section 295p, except the term does not include acupuncture. |
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(2) "Child" means a child 25 years of age or younger |
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and includes an adopted child. |
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(3) "Graduate allied health program" means a master's |
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or doctoral degree program in an allied health profession that is |
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accredited by an accrediting entity recognized by the United States |
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Department of Education. |
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(4) "Undergraduate allied health program" means an |
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undergraduate degree or certificate program that: |
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(A) prepares students for initial licensure, |
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certification, or registration in an allied health profession; and |
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(B) is accredited by an accrediting entity |
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recognized by the United States Department of Education. |
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(b) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall, contingent on appropriations of money for the |
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exemptions, exempt from the payment of tuition a resident of this |
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state enrolled as an undergraduate student at the institution who |
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is a child of a person who, at the beginning of the semester or other |
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academic term for which the exemption is sought: |
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(1) holds a master's or doctoral degree in an allied |
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health profession, if employed or under contract to serve in a |
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position other than as a teaching assistant under Subdivision (2), |
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or holds a baccalaureate degree in an allied health profession, if |
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employed or under contract to serve as a teaching assistant under |
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Subdivision (2); and |
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(2) meets either of the following requirements: |
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(A) is employed by the institution as a full-time |
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member of the faculty or staff of an undergraduate or graduate |
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allied health program with duties that include teaching, serving as |
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a teaching assistant, performing research, serving as an |
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administrator, or performing other professional services; or |
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(B) has contracted with the institution to serve |
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as a full-time member of the faculty or staff of an undergraduate or |
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graduate allied health program to perform duties described by |
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Paragraph (A) during all or part of the semester or other academic |
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term for which an exemption is sought or, if the child is enrolled |
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for a summer session, during all or part of that session or for the |
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next academic year. |
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(c) A child who would qualify for an exemption under this |
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section but for the fact that the child's parent is not employed |
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full-time is eligible for an exemption on a pro rata basis equal to |
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the percentage of full-time employment the parent is employed, |
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except that a parent employed for less than 25 percent of full-time |
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employment is considered to be employed for 25 percent of full-time |
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employment. |
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(d) A person is not eligible for an exemption under this |
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section if the person: |
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(1) has previously received an exemption under this |
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section for 10 semesters or summer sessions at any institution or |
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institutions of higher education; or |
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(2) has received a baccalaureate degree. |
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(e) For purposes of Subsection (d), a summer session that is |
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less than nine weeks in duration is considered one-half of a summer |
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session. |
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(f) The tuition exemption provided by this section applies |
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only to enrollment of a child at the institution at which the |
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child's parent is employed or is under contract. |
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(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt: |
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(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an |
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exemption under this section, including rules relating to the |
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determination of eligibility for an exemption; and |
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(2) a uniform application form for an exemption under |
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this section. |
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Sec. 54.226. PRECEPTORS FOR ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAMS. (a) In |
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this section, "allied health profession," "child," and |
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"undergraduate allied health program" have the meanings assigned by |
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Section 54.225. |
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(b) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt a person from the payment of $500 of the |
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total amount of tuition otherwise charged to a resident of this |
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state if the person is enrolled as a student at the institution and: |
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(1) holds a license, certificate, or registration in |
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an allied health profession; and |
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(2) is serving under a written preceptor agreement |
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with an undergraduate allied health program as a clinical preceptor |
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for students enrolled in the program for the semester or other |
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academic term for which the exemption is sought. |
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(c) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt a person from the payment of $500 of the |
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total amount of tuition otherwise charged to a resident of this |
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state if the person is enrolled as an undergraduate student at the |
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institution and is a child of a person who meets the requirements of |
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Subsections (b)(1) and (2). |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c), if a person |
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eligible for an exemption under this section owes less than $500 in |
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tuition, the governing board of the institution of higher education |
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in which the person is enrolled shall exempt the person from the |
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payment of only the amount of tuition the person owes. |
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(e) A person is not eligible for an exemption under |
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Subsection (c) if the person: |
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(1) has previously received an exemption under this |
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section for 10 semesters or summer sessions at any institution or |
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institutions of higher education; or |
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(2) has received a baccalaureate degree. |
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(f) For purposes of Subsection (e), a summer session that is |
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less than nine weeks in duration is considered one-half of a summer |
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session. |
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(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt: |
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(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an |
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exemption under this section, including rules relating to the |
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determination of eligibility for an exemption; and |
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(2) a uniform application form for an exemption under |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter GG to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER GG. ALLIED HEALTH FACULTY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS |
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Sec. 61.9781. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Allied health profession" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 54.225. |
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(2) "Allied health program" means a degree or |
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certificate program of a public or private institution of higher |
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education in this state that: |
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(A) prepares students for initial licensure, |
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certification, or registration in an allied health profession; and |
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(B) is accredited by an accrediting entity |
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recognized by the United States Department of Education. |
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Sec. 61.9782. ALLIED HEALTH FACULTY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS. |
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The board may, contingent on appropriations of money for the |
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grants, award allied health faculty enhancement grants to allied |
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health programs to assist the programs in the education, |
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recruitment, or retention of faculty members to enable the programs |
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to train students to meet the state's need for health care providers |
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in the allied health professions generally or in specific allied |
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health professions as the board determines appropriate. |
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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 specified by Section |
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61.9782, including providing salary supplements and enhancements |
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and reducing the number of hours a faculty member must teach. |
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Sec. 61.9784. MATCHING FUNDS FOR GRANT. In awarding a grant |
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under this subchapter, the board may require the receiving |
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institution to provide matching funds or may give preference in |
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awarding a grant to an institution that provides matching funds. |
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Sec. 61.9785. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an |
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advisory committee to advise the board on successful strategies, in |
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addition to the grants awarded under this subchapter, for |
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educating, recruiting, or retaining qualified allied health |
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program faculty members who hold master's or doctoral degrees. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, Sections 54.225 and 54.226, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, apply beginning with the 2012 fall semester. |
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(b) Not later than January 1, 2012, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules and forms relating |
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to tuition exemptions under Sections 54.225 and 54.226, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2011. |