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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a nursing dual credit pilot program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. NURSING DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 28.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "College" means Houston Community College. |
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(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(3) "District" means the Houston Independent School |
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District. |
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(4) "School of nursing" means The University of Texas |
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Health Science Center at Houston Cizik School of Nursing. |
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Sec. 28.102. NURSING DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) From |
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money appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the |
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agency and the coordinating board jointly shall establish a nursing |
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dual credit pilot program through which students enrolled at |
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Houston Independent School District may graduate from high school |
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with a certificate in licensed vocational nursing from Houston |
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Community College, with assistance from The University of Texas |
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Health Science Center at Houston Cizik School of Nursing. |
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(b) The pilot program must: |
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(1) provide for an introductory summer nursing day |
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camp for interested students who are entering eighth grade; |
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(2) require students to apply to participate in the |
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pilot program during the students' eighth grade year; |
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(3) provide for a three-week summer nursing boot camp |
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for participating students entering ninth grade; |
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(4) provide for each participating student to be |
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jointly enrolled in high school in the district and in the college's |
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licensed vocational nursing certificate program beginning with the |
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student's ninth grade year; |
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(5) enable each participating student to graduate from |
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high school with a certificate in licensed vocational nursing; |
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(6) enable participating students to continue |
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postsecondary education after graduation from high school by |
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completing at the college: |
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(A) the associate degree in nursing program; or |
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(B) the prerequisites for the bachelor of science |
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in nursing program at the school of nursing; and |
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(7) require the school of nursing to assist |
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participating students by: |
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(A) pairing each participating student with a |
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nurse mentor to assist the student throughout the student's |
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participation in the program; |
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(B) providing preparatory courses for: |
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(i) the required examinations for admission |
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to the associate degree in nursing program at the college or the |
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bachelor of science in nursing program at the school of nursing; and |
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(ii) the examinations for licensure as a |
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licensed vocational nurse or as a registered nurse; and |
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(C) ensuring that the students complete the |
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prerequisites for the associate degree in nursing program at the |
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college and the bachelor of science in nursing program at the school |
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of nursing. |
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Sec. 28.103. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of |
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each year, the district, the college, and the school of nursing |
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jointly shall prepare and submit to the agency and the coordinating |
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board a report on the pilot program. The report must include |
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information regarding the curriculum and student recruitment |
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efforts. |
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Sec. 28.104. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. The agency and |
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the coordinating board jointly shall enter into a memorandum of |
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understanding with the district, the college, and the school of |
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nursing regarding the allocation of money to those institutions for |
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the pilot program. |
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Sec. 28.105. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. Not later than |
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September 1, 2028, the agency and the coordinating board jointly |
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shall submit to the legislature a report that: |
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(1) evaluates the success of the pilot program; and |
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(2) makes recommendations regarding the continuation |
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or expansion of the pilot program. |
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Sec. 28.106. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September |
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1, 2029. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2024, the Houston |
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Independent School District, Houston Community College, and The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Cizik School |
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of Nursing jointly shall submit the initial report required under |
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Section 28.103, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |