88R8965 MM-F
 
  By: Bryant H.B. No. 3930
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to grant programs established to support nursing education
  and training.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter Z-1 to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER Z-1.  GRANT PROGRAMS SUPPORTING NURSING EDUCATION AND
  TRAINING
         Sec. 61.9641.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Clinical site" means an acute care or
  rehabilitation facility, a primary care setting, a long-term care
  facility, a nursing home, a residential care setting, or any other
  site identified by the board as providing clinical learning
  experiences for nursing students.
               (2)  "Nursing advisory committee" means the nursing
  advisory committee established under Section 104.0155, Health and
  Safety Code.
         Sec. 61.9642.  CLINICAL SITE NURSE PRECEPTOR GRANT PROGRAM.  
  (a)  The board, in consultation with the nursing advisory
  committee, shall establish and administer a program to award grants
  to eligible clinical sites to support the use of nurse preceptors in
  providing clinical training to nursing students.
         (b)  To be eligible for a grant under this section, a
  clinical site must:
               (1)  provide clinical training to nursing students
  through the use of one or more nurse preceptors;
               (2)  comply with any clinical site requirements
  established by the board; and
               (3)  comply with any other requirements adopted by
  board rule.
         Sec. 61.9643.  CLINICAL SITE INNOVATION AND COORDINATION
  PROGRAM. The board shall establish and administer a program to
  award grants to eligible clinical sites that create and operate
  innovative pilot programs that will support nursing performed at
  clinical sites in this state by increasing the number of nurses,
  improving the working environment for nurses, improving the
  retention of nurses, addressing workplace safety, and coordinating
  with other clinical sites any solutions found to address common
  nursing concerns.
         Sec. 61.9644.  NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM: PART-TIME
  POSITIONS.  (a)  The board shall award grants under a nursing
  faculty grant program to eligible institutions of higher education
  to provide funding for qualified nursing staff working at clinical
  sites who serve as part-time nursing faculty at those institutions.
         (b)  The amount of a grant and the number of grants to be
  awarded must be based on the total number of nursing staff serving
  as part-time faculty in institutions of higher education throughout
  the state in the year for which the grant is awarded.
         (c)  A grant received under this section must be expended to
  support the applicable nursing faculty positions, including the
  faculty stipend.
         (d)  An institution of higher education must certify in the
  grant application the number of unfilled faculty positions to which
  the application applies and, after a grant is awarded, must certify
  which of those positions have been filled before receipt of the
  grant funds.
         (e)  The board shall prescribe the dates for the submission
  of applications and the award of grants under this section to ensure
  that a grant recipient has sufficient time to prepare for receipt
  and effective use of the grant funds before the academic period for
  which the grant is awarded.
         (f)  Grant amounts are awarded under this section for two
  consecutive state fiscal years.  The board may distribute a grant
  amount for nursing faculty only on receiving the certification from
  the institution of higher education that the applicable nurse
  faculty position has been filled. For each first-year nursing
  faculty position for which a clinical site receives an initial
  grant amount in a state fiscal year, the board shall make available
  an equal grant amount for the subsequent state fiscal year
  contingent on filling the part-time nursing faculty positions
  funded by the grant in that second year.
         Sec. 61.9645.  NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM: CLINICAL
  TRAINING. (a)  The board shall award grants under a nursing faculty
  grant program to eligible clinical sites to provide funding for
  qualified nursing faculty of institutions of higher education who
  seek to obtain additional clinical training by working part-time at
  a clinical site.
         (b)  The amount of a grant and the number of grants to be
  awarded must be based on the total number of nursing faculty in
  institutions of higher education throughout the state in the year
  for which the grant is awarded.
         Sec. 61.9646.  FUNDS. (a)  In consultation with the nursing
  advisory committee, the board shall allocate funds appropriated for
  purposes of this subchapter and any other funds received as
  described by Subsection (b) as the board considers appropriate to
  further the purposes of this subchapter.
         (b)  In addition to money appropriated by the legislature,
  the board may solicit, accept, and spend gifts, grants, and
  donations from any public or private source for the purposes of the
  grant programs established under this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9647.  RULES. In consultation with the nursing
  advisory committee, the board shall adopt rules for the
  administration of the grant programs established under this
  subchapter. The rules must include:
               (1)  administrative provisions relating to the
  awarding of grants under this subchapter, such as:
                     (A)  eligibility criteria for clinical sites or
  institutions of higher education, as applicable;
                     (B)  grant application procedures;
                     (C)  guidelines relating to grant amounts;
                     (D)  procedures for evaluating grant
  applications; and
                     (E)  procedures for monitoring the use of grants;
  and
               (2)  methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants
  that:
                     (A)  use data reasonably available to the board or
  the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies; and
                     (B)  evaluate transferability and scalability of
  innovation programs.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  As soon as practicable after the effective
  date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the
  grant programs required by Subchapter Z-1, Chapter 61, Education
  Code, as added by this Act. The board may adopt the initial rules in
  the manner provided by law for emergency rules.
         (b)  Not later than September 1, 2023, the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board shall establish the grant programs
  required by Subchapter Z-1, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by
  this Act, and shall begin to award grants under those programs not
  later than January 1, 2024.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.