BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3048

By: Ortega

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note the importance of ensuring that Texas has a ready supply of health professionals prepared to provide health care services to the state's ever-increasing population. H.B. 3048 seeks to provide for the identification of statewide and regional shortages in health professions by means of a study conducted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

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. 3048 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a study, subject to the availability of funds, in collaboration with the Texas Health Professions Resource Center, the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, and the Texas Demographic Center to identify statewide and regional shortages in health professions, with an emphasis on shortages in doctoral-level training in those health professions. The bill requires the coordinating board to develop an inventory of existing health science education programs and to note the enrollment capacity for each of those programs. The bill requires the study to include an analysis of shortages in certain health professions for which doctoral-level training is offered.

H.B. 3048 requires the coordinating board to make recommendations regarding the establishment of new programs and expansion of existing programs to meet the increased need for health professionals in Texas, including in particular the increased need for health professionals with doctoral-level training. The bill requires the coordinating board, not later than November 1, 2018, to submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over higher education the results of the study and recommendations for legislative or other action. The bill authorizes the coordinating board to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private source to conduct the study, prepare the report, and develop recommendations. The bill's provisions expire January 1, 2019.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.