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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the professional nursing programs that may receive |
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grants under the professional nursing shortage reduction program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.9621, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.9621. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, |
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"professional nursing program" means an educational program that is |
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offered by a public or private institution of higher education and |
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that: |
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(1) prepares [for preparing] students to attain [for] |
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initial licensure as registered nurses; or |
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(2) leads students, including registered nurses |
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holding an associate or comparable degree, to earn a bachelor of |
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science degree in nursing. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.9622, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.9622. PROGRAM. A professional nursing shortage |
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reduction program is established to increase the number and types |
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of registered nurses in order to meet the needs for registered |
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nurses in this state. The board shall administer the professional |
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nursing shortage reduction program to make grants for those |
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purposes to professional nursing programs and other entities |
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involved with those programs [a professional nursing program in the |
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preparation of students for initial licensure as registered nurses |
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in order to increase the number and types of registered nurses to |
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meet the needs for registered nurses in the state]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.9623(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A grant from the professional nursing shortage |
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reduction program to a professional nursing program or other entity |
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described by Section 61.9622 [involved with a professional nursing |
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program in the preparation of students for initial licensure as |
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registered nurses] must be: |
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(1) expended exclusively on costs related to: |
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(A) enrolling additional students; |
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(B) nursing faculty enhancement in accordance |
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with Section 61.96231; |
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(C) encouraging innovation in the recruitment |
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and retention of students, including the recruitment and retention |
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of Spanish-speaking and bilingual students; or |
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(D) identifying, developing, or implementing |
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innovative methods to make the most effective use of limited |
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professional nursing program faculty, instructional or clinical |
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space, and other resources, including: |
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(i) sharing curriculum and administrative |
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or instructional personnel, facilities, and responsibilities |
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between two or more professional nursing programs located in the |
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same region of this state; and |
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(ii) using preceptors or part-time faculty |
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to provide clinical instruction in order to address the need for |
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qualified faculty to accommodate increased student enrollment in |
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the professional nursing program; |
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(2) contingent on the professional nursing program's |
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having been approved as a professional nursing program by the board |
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or the Texas Board of Nursing, as appropriate; |
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(3) contingent on the professional nursing program's |
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not being on probation with the Texas Board of Nursing or other |
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accrediting body; and |
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(4) if granted to increase enrollments, contingent on |
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the professional nursing program's ability to enroll additional |
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students, including having the necessary classroom space and |
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clinical slots. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 61.96232(a) and (b), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The board by rule shall establish a process under which |
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a public or private institution of higher education that offers a |
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professional nursing program may apply for a grant under this |
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subchapter and the commissioner of higher education, contingent on |
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appropriations of money for the grants, selects one or more |
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applicants to receive a grant based on criteria established by |
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board rule. The criteria must include the institution's agreement |
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that the institution's professional nursing program will enroll |
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additional students or graduate additional students in a program |
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that: |
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(1) prepares students [prepared] for initial |
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licensure as registered nurses; or |
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(2) leads students, including registered nurses |
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holding an associate or comparable degree, to earn a bachelor of |
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science degree in nursing. |
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(b) The process established under Subsection (a) may |
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authorize the commissioner of higher education to accept a joint |
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application from multiple institutions that agree to cooperate on a |
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regional or joint basis for their professional nursing programs to |
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enroll additional students or graduate additional students |
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described by Subsection (a) [prepared for initial licensure as |
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registered nurses]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 61.9626(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Each institution of higher education that has a |
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professional nursing program shall submit an annual report to the |
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board detailing its strategy for increasing the number of students |
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who [that] graduate from the program prepared to attain initial |
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[for] licensure as registered nurses or who earn a bachelor of |
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science degree in nursing. The report must include: |
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(1) the capacity of the program, either alone or in |
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cooperation with one or more other programs, to graduate more |
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students who are prepared to attain initial [for] licensure or who |
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earn a bachelor of science degree as described by this subsection |
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[as registered nurses]; and |
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(2) the resources allocated to increase the number of |
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students who [that] graduate from the program prepared to attain |
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initial [for] licensure or who earn a bachelor of science degree as |
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described by this subsection [as registered nurses]. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |