BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 2099

By: Guillen

Higher Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties note that, currently, there are common admission application forms for a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a general academic teaching institution or to an institution of higher education, other than a general academic teaching institution, that admits freshman-level students. Interested parties contend that access to nursing education programs would be improved by requiring the implementation of a common admission application form for an individual seeking admission to such a program.  C.S.H.B. 2099 seeks to improve access to nursing education.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 2099 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to determine, not later than September 1, 2014, whether the adoption of an electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission to a nursing education program at an institution of higher education would be cost-effective for nursing schools and to adopt such a form by rule if the adoption is determined to be cost-effective for nursing schools. If an electronic common admission application form is adopted, the bill requires the coordinating board to seek input from representatives of undergraduate nursing education programs at institutions of higher education in prescribing the form and requires the form to include a link to information regarding any available scholarship opportunities for undergraduate nursing education degree students at institutions of higher education.

 

C.S.H.B. 2099 authorizes the coordinating board, if the coordinating board directs an advisory committee to assist the coordinating board in exercising its authority regarding an off-campus course in nursing education, including clinical coursework, to require the advisory committee to include or consult with one or more career schools or colleges that are authorized to offer degrees in Texas and are located in the area where the course is to be offered.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2013.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 2099 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1. Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g-1) to read as follows:

(a) The board, with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives of general academic teaching institutions, junior college districts, public state colleges, and public technical institutes, and with the consultation of all institutions of higher education that admit freshman-level students:

(1) shall adopt by rule:

(A) a common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a general academic teaching institution; [and]

(B) an electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to an institution of higher education that admits freshman-level students, other than a general academic teaching institution; and

 

(C) an electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission to a nursing education program at an institution of higher education; and

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2) may adopt by rule a printed format common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to an institution of higher education that admits freshman-level students, other than a general academic teaching institution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(g-1) The electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission to a nursing education program at an institution of higher education must include a link to information regarding any available scholarship opportunities for nursing education degree students at institutions of higher education.

SECTION 1. Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g-1) to read as follows:

(a) The board, with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives of general academic teaching institutions, junior college districts, public state colleges, and public technical institutes, and with the consultation of all institutions of higher education that admit freshman-level students:

(1) shall adopt by rule:

(A) a common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a general academic teaching institution; and

(B) an electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to an institution of higher education that admits freshman-level students, other than a general academic teaching institution; [and]

(2) shall:

(A) determine whether the adoption of an electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission to an undergraduate nursing education program at an institution of higher education would be cost-effective for nursing schools; and

(B) adopt such a form by rule if the adoption is determined under Paragraph (A) to be cost-effective for nursing schools; and

(3) may adopt by rule a printed format common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to an institution of higher education that admits freshman-level students, other than a general academic teaching institution.

(g-1) If an electronic common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission to an undergraduate nursing education program at an institution of higher education is adopted under Subsection (a)(2)(B):

(1) the board must seek input from representatives of undergraduate nursing education programs at institutions of higher education in prescribing the form; and

(2) the form must include a link to information regarding any available scholarship opportunities for undergraduate nursing education degree students offered by institutions of higher education.

 

SECTION 2. Section 61.026, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 61.026. COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES. (a) The chairman may appoint committees from the board's membership as the chairman [he] or the board may find necessary from time to time. The board may appoint advisory committees from outside its membership as it may deem necessary.

(b) If the board directs an advisory committee to assist the board in exercising its authority under Section 61.051(j) regarding an off-campus course in nursing education, including clinical coursework, the board shall require the advisory committee to include or consult with one or more career schools or colleges that are authorized to offer degrees in this state and are located in the area where the course is to be offered. In this subsection, "career school or college" has the meaning assigned by Section 132.001.

SECTION 2. Section 61.026, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 61.026. COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES. (a) The chairman may appoint committees from the board's membership as the chairman [he] or the board may find necessary from time to time. The board may appoint advisory committees from outside its membership as it may deem necessary.

(b) If the board directs an advisory committee to assist the board in exercising its authority under Section 61.051(j) regarding an off-campus course in nursing education, including clinical coursework, the board may require the advisory committee to include or consult with one or more career schools or colleges that are authorized to offer degrees in this state and are located in the area where the course is to be offered. In this subsection, "career school or college" has the meaning assigned by Section 132.001.

SECTION 3. Section 61.5391(b), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Money in the account may not be appropriated for any purpose except:

(1) to provide loan repayment assistance to eligible physicians under this subchapter; or

(2) to provide loan repayment assistance under Subchapter L to eligible faculty of professional nursing programs for graduate-level nursing education loans.

No equivalent provision.

 

SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt an electronic common admission application form for nursing education programs as required by Section 51.762, Education Code, as amended by this Act, not later than September 1, 2014. An institution of higher education must accept applications for nursing education programs using the electronic common admission application form beginning with applicants for admission for the 2015-2016 academic year.

SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall make an initial determination regarding whether adopting an electronic common admission application form for undergraduate nursing education programs would be cost-effective as required by Section 51.762, Education Code, as amended by this Act, not later than September 1, 2014

 

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

SECTION 4. Same as introduced version.