BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 3078 |
By: Darby |
Higher Education |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Many have observed that continued population growth in Texas increases the need for the state to facilitate the graduation of nurses. By not having a uniform pre-nursing curriculum for admittance into professional nursing programs, there are concerns that institutions of higher education are creating impediments to pre-nursing students that prevent timely graduation, waste state dollars, and generally discourage these valuable students. C.S.H.B. 3078 seeks to take the first step towards eliminating these impediments.
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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.
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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.
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ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 3078 amends the Education Code to create the Uniform Pre-Nursing Curriculum Advisory Committee to develop and make recommendations on a uniform pre-nursing curriculum for undergraduate professional nursing programs offered by institutions of higher education. The bill provides for the composition of the advisory committee, requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to make appointments to the advisory committee not later than January 1, 2016, and prohibits the members from receiving compensation for their service.
C.S.H.B. 3078 requires the advisory committee to assess, as of September 1, 2015, the prerequisite courses that are required for each undergraduate professional nursing program in Texas and the ability of a student to use course credit earned at one institution of higher education to qualify for admission to an undergraduate professional nursing program offered by another institution of higher education. The bill requires the advisory committee to develop and make recommendations regarding the creation of a uniform pre-nursing curriculum that specify the prerequisite courses that a student must complete to qualify for admission to each undergraduate professional nursing program offered by an institution of higher education and the content for such courses. The bill requires the advisory committee, not later than September 1, 2016, to prepare and submit to the legislature and to each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over higher education a report containing the committee's findings, including the recommended uniform pre-nursing curriculum. The bill's provisions expire January 1, 2017.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.
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COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 3078 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
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