BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 495

By: Howard

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that the current dedication of funds from the permanent fund for higher education nursing, allied health, and other health-related programs to nursing education is set to expire in 2015. H.B. 495 seeks to continue the current dedication to support nursing education through 2019.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 495 amends the Education Code to postpone from September 1, 2015, to September 1, 2019, the expiration date of the requirement that certain grants awarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board be awarded to programs preparing students for initial licensure as registered nurses or programs preparing qualified faculty members with a master's or doctoral degree for the program or to the nursing resource section within the health professions resource center. The bill extends the requirement from grants awarded from the permanent fund for higher education nursing, allied health, and other health-related programs for the 2012–2013 and 2014–2015 state fiscal bienniums to grants awarded from the fund for the 2016–2017 and 2018–2019 state fiscal bienniums.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.