BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2851
	By: Howard; Perez, Vincent (Kolkhorst)
	Health & Human Services
	5/19/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, Texas nursing school applicants must complete a separate application process for each program they wish to apply to, making the process time consuming and complex. Although NursingCAS, a nationwide application portal, offers a streamlined system for nursing school applications across the country, Texas lacks a similar centralized system that is dedicated to its own nursing schools. This results in an unnecessary administrative burden for students and educational institutions.

H.B. 2851 seeks to address this gap by allowing Texas nursing schools to opt into existing centralized application systems, like the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). This would simplify and streamline the application process for prospective nursing students. The bill also calls for the creation of an advisory board composed of representatives from professional nursing programs. This board will be responsible for developing recommendations on how to integrate nursing school applications into consolidated systems. The advisory board will be dissolved on September 1, 2027.

H.B. 2851 amends current law relating to including nursing school applications in a consolidated application service.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.765, as follows:

Sec. 51.765. NURSING SCHOOL APPLICATION CONSOLIDATION. (a) Requires a service or organization that provides consolidated application services for applications to medical schools or dental schools, including the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service operated through The University of Texas System (system), to include applications for nursing schools in this state.

(b) Requires the governing board of the system to establish an advisory board to develop:

(1) recommendations for including applications for nursing schools in this state in the consolidated application services for applications to medical schools or dental schools as required under Subsection (a); and

(2) an implementation plan for the recommendations developed under Subdivision (1).

(c) Requires the advisory board to consist of representatives of professional nursing programs in this state and representatives with expertise in professional nursing program applications appointed by the governing board of the system on recommendation by the Texas Health Education Service.

(d) Requires the system to publish the implementation plan developed by the advisory board under this section on the system's Internet website not later than January 1, 2026.

(e) Provides that the advisory board is abolished and this subsection and Subsections (b), (c), and (d) expire September 1, 2027.

SECTION 2. Provides that Section 51.765(a), Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with applications for admission to a nursing school for the 2027 fall semester.

SECTION 3. Requires the governing board of the system to appoint the members of the advisory board under Section 51.765(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2025.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.