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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of money from the permanent fund for |
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health-related programs to provide grants to nursing education |
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programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsections (f) and (g), Section 63.202, |
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Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(f) Notwithstanding the limitation provided by Subsection |
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(b), grants awarded under Subsection (c) for the state fiscal |
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biennium ending on August 31, 2013 [2009], and the fiscal biennium |
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ending on August 31, 2015 [2011], by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall be awarded to programs preparing students |
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for initial licensure as registered nurses or programs preparing |
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qualified faculty members with a master's or doctoral degree for |
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the program, including programs at two-year institutions of higher |
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education, four-year general academic teaching institutions, |
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health science centers, and independent or private institutions of |
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higher education, or to the nursing resource section established |
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under Section 105.002(b), Health and Safety Code. In awarding |
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grants under this subsection, the coordinating board may: |
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(1) give priority to institutions proposing to address |
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the shortage of registered nurses by promoting innovation in |
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education, recruitment, and retention of nursing students and |
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qualified faculty; |
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(2) award grants on a competitive basis; |
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(3) consider the availability of matching funds; and |
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(4) fund a study by the nursing resource section to |
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evaluate the competencies of clinical judgment and behaviors that |
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professional nursing students should possess at the time of |
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graduation. |
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(g) Subsection (f) and this subsection expire September 1, |
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2015 [2011]. |
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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, 2011. |