BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1401
86R493 SRS-D	By: Howard et al. (Hinojosa)
	Finance
	5/14/2019
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The current dedication of funds from the Permanent Fund for Higher Education Nursing, Allied Health, and Other Health Related Programs (one of the trust funds established by the Texas Tobacco Lawsuit Settlement) to nursing education is set to expire August 31, 2019.

 

H.B. 1401 extends the dedication to nursing education until August 31, 2023.

 

H.B. 1401 amends current law relating to the use of money from the permanent fund for health‑related programs to provide grants to nursing education programs.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 63.202(f) and (g), Education Code, as follows:

 

(f) Requires grants awarded under Subsection (c) (relating to authorizing the investment returns of the permanent fund for higher education nursing, allied health, and other health related programs (fund) to be appropriated to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for the purpose of providing grants to public institutions of higher education that offer upper-level academic instruction and training in the field of nursing, allied health, or other health-related education) for the state fiscal biennium ending on August 31, 2021, rather than August 31, 2017, and the fiscal biennium ending on August 31, 2023, rather than August 31, 2019, by THECB, notwithstanding the limitation provided by Subsection (b) (relating to prohibiting money in the fund established under this subchapter from being used for any purpose, with certain exceptions), to 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, including programs at two-year institutions of higher education, four-year general academic teaching institutions, health science centers, and independent or private institutions of higher education, or to the nursing resource section established under Section 105.002(b) (relating to requiring the statewide health coordinating council, in conjunction with a certain committee, to avoid duplication of effort, and to the extent funding is available through certain fees, to establish a nursing resource section within the comprehensive health professions resource center for the collection and analysis of educational and employment trends for nurses in this state), Health and Safety Code.

 

(g) Provides that Subsection (f) and this subsection expire September 1, 2023, rather than September 1, 2019.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.