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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a task force on racial diversity in |
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the nursing workforce. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON RACIAL DIVERSITY IN NURSING |
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WORKFORCE. (a) A task force is established under this section to |
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assess and determine methods of promoting racial diversity in the |
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nursing workforce. |
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(b) The nursing advisory committee established under |
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Section 104.0155, Health and Safety Code, shall develop a uniform |
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application form to be used to solicit eligible applicants for task |
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force membership. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the nursing advisory committee shall solicit |
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applicants for task force membership using the uniform application |
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form. |
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(c) The task force is composed of the following nine members |
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selected by the nursing advisory committee from the pool of |
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eligible applicants: |
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(1) one member who serves on the nursing advisory |
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committee; |
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(2) one member who represents the Texas Center for |
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Nursing Workforce Studies; |
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(3) one member who represents the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board; |
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(4) two members who represent initial licensure |
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nursing programs of public institutions of higher education in this |
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state; |
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(5) two members who represent advanced nursing |
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programs of public institutions of higher education in this state |
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or health-related institutions; |
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(6) one member who represents the hospital industry; |
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and |
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(7) one member who represents the Texas Nurses |
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Association. |
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(d) The member serving on the nursing advisory committee |
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shall chair the task force. |
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SECTION 2. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force established |
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under Section 1 of this Act shall: |
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(1) assess the diversity in this state's nursing |
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workforce based on existing data; |
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(2) identify any current initiatives to diversify the |
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nursing workforce in this state and the strengths and limitations |
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of those initiatives; |
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(3) establish goals for diversifying the nursing |
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workforce; and |
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(4) develop recommendations on strategies and |
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promising practices to reduce barriers and achieve those diversity |
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goals for the nursing workforce. |
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SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2022, the |
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task force established under Section 1 of this Act shall deliver a |
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report to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, House |
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Public Health Committee, House Higher Education Committee, and |
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Senate Higher Education Committee detailing the task force's |
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activities and recommendations. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. The task force established under |
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Section 1 of this Act is abolished and this Act expires December 1, |
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2022. |
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2021. |