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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improving access to nursing education programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The board, with the assistance of an advisory committee |
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composed of representatives of general academic teaching |
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institutions, junior college districts, public state colleges, and |
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public technical institutes, and with the consultation of all |
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institutions of higher education that admit freshman-level |
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students: |
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(1) shall adopt by rule: |
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(A) a common admission application form for use |
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by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a general |
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academic teaching institution; and |
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(B) an electronic common admission application |
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form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to |
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an institution of higher education that admits freshman-level |
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students, other than a general academic teaching institution; [and] |
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(2) shall: |
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(A) determine whether the adoption of an |
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electronic common admission application form for use by a person |
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seeking admission to an undergraduate nursing education program at |
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an institution of higher education would be cost-effective for |
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nursing schools; and |
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(B) adopt such a form by rule if the adoption is |
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determined under Paragraph (A) to be cost-effective for nursing |
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schools; and |
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(3) may adopt by rule a printed format common |
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admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as |
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a freshman student to an institution of higher education that |
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admits freshman-level students, other than a general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(g-1) If an electronic common admission application form |
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for use by a person seeking admission to an undergraduate nursing |
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education program at an institution of higher education is adopted |
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under Subsection (a)(2)(B): |
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(1) the board must seek input from representatives of |
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undergraduate nursing education programs at institutions of higher |
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education in prescribing the form; and |
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(2) the form must include a link to information |
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regarding any available scholarship opportunities for |
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undergraduate nursing education degree students offered by |
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institutions of higher education. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.026, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.026. COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES. (a) The |
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chairman may appoint committees from the board's membership as the |
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chairman [he] or the board may find necessary from time to time. |
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The board may appoint advisory committees from outside its |
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membership as it may deem necessary. |
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(b) If the board directs an advisory committee to assist the |
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board in exercising its authority under Section 61.051(j) regarding |
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an off-campus course in nursing education, including clinical |
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coursework, the board may require the advisory committee to include |
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or consult with one or more career schools or colleges that are |
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authorized to offer degrees in this state and are located in the |
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area where the course is to be offered. In this subsection, "career |
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school or college" has the meaning assigned by Section 132.001. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall make an initial determination regarding whether adopting an |
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electronic common admission application form for undergraduate |
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nursing education programs would be cost-effective as required by |
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Section 51.762, Education Code, as amended by this Act, not later |
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than September 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |