Amend SB 25 (senate committee report) as follows:
(1) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Section 61.651(1), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
(1) "Professional nursing student" means a student enrolled in:
(A) an institution of higher education; or
(B) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of understanding with this state under an executive order issued by the governor [a private or independent institution of higher education] in a course of study leading to an initial or an advanced degree in professional nursing.
(2) In SECTION 1 of the bill, strike amended Section 61.655(c), Education Code (page 1, lines 36 through 58), and substitute the following:
(c) Each year funds are available, the board shall establish the categories of persons eligible to receive scholarships[, matching funds,] and loan repayments and the criteria for selecting persons to be assisted under each category. The criteria:
(1) must include that the person be enrolled in, or have outstanding student loans for education received at, as applicable to the program:
(A) an institution of higher education; or
(B) a nonprofit college or university described by Section 61.651(1)(B); and
(2) may include:
(A) [(1)] scholastic ability and performance;
(B) [(2)] financial need;
(C) [(3)] the geographical area in which the person is likely to practice;
(D) [(4)] whether the person receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families [Aid to Families with Dependent Children] or participates in another public welfare program;
(E) [(5)] employment by a state agency;
(F) [(6)] employment on a nursing school faculty or a person's intention to seek employment on a nursing school faculty;
(G) [(7)] whether the person is practicing in a geographical area, a practice setting, or an area of practice with an acute nursing shortage or is likely to practice in such an area;
(H) [(8)] the type of certificate or academic degree held or pursued; or
(I) [(9)] any additional factors the board considers relevant to promoting the health care and educational needs of the state.
(3) Strike the recital to SECTION 2 of the bill (page 1, lines 59-60) and substitute the following:
SECTION 2. Section 61.656, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
(4) In SECTION 2 of the bill, in amended Section 61.656, Education Code (page 2, between lines 9 and 10), insert the following:
(e) The rules adopted under this section must provide that not more than 10 percent of the total amount of scholarships or repayment assistance awarded under a program established under this subchapter in a year may be awarded to persons enrolled in, or for the repayment of student loans for education received at, as applicable to the program, a nonprofit college or university described by Section 61.651(1)(B).
(5) In SECTION 8 of the bill, between Subsections (a) and (b) (page 3, between lines 9 and 10), insert the following appropriately lettered subsection and reletter subsequent subsections accordingly:
(_) Section 61.655, Education Code, as amended by this Act, applies beginning with scholarships and loan repayment assistance awarded under a program established under Subchapter L, Chapter 61, Education Code, for the 2024-2025 academic year. Scholarships and loan repayment assistance awarded under a program established under Subchapter L, Chapter 61, Education Code, for an academic year before the 2024-2025 academic year are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
(6) In SECTION 8 of the bill, in Subsection (b) (page 3, lines 10-12), strike "The changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with loan repayment assistance awarded under Subchapter JJ, Chapter 61, Education Code," and substitute "The changes in law made by this Act to Subchapter JJ, Chapter 61, Education Code, apply beginning with loan repayment assistance awarded under that subchapter".