Honorable Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor, Senate
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB25 by Kolkhorst (Relating to support for nursing-related postsecondary education, including scholarships to nursing students, loan repayment assistance to nurses and nursing faculty, and grants to nursing education programs.), As Passed 2nd House
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the unavailability of data related to the number of clinical sites and institutions that would be eligible for awards and what amounts would be awarded under the programs.
The bill establishes several programs administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (Board) to support nursing education and training.
The bill would require the Board, in consultation with the nursing advisory committee, to 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.
The bill would require the Board to 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.
The bill would require the Board to 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.
The bill would require the Board to 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.
The Board would be required to draft rules regarding eligibility criteria and guidelines for grant amounts. The Board indicates that until rules are finalized for the programs, it is not known which clinical sites and institutions will be eligible for awards and what amounts they will be able to receive
It is assumed that any administrative costs associated with the bill would be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.