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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the transition of the nurse aide certification program |
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from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Board of |
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Nursing and to the creation of a workgroup on nursing career |
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pathways and a panel on nursing program standards. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. NURSE AIDE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. (a) The Texas |
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Board of Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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jointly develop an operational plan for transitioning the nurse |
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aide certification program from the Health and Human Services |
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Commission to the Texas Board of Nursing. The study must include |
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all financial, operational, and other relevant considerations |
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necessary for the transition. |
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(b) Not later than December 1, 2026, the Texas Board of |
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Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission shall submit |
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the plan developed under this section to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and each standing committee of the legislature with primary |
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jurisdiction over nursing. |
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SECTION 2. NURSING CAREER PATHWAYS. (a) The Texas Center |
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for Nursing Workforce Studies shall establish and oversee a |
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workgroup to assess the feasibility of better aligning the |
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certification and career pathways of nurse aides, medication aides, |
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and personal care technicians into the nursing profession. |
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(b) The workgroup must include: |
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(1) the executive head of each of the following |
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entities, or that person's designated representative: |
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(A) the Texas Board of Nursing; |
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(B) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(C) the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(D) the Texas Education Agency; and |
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(E) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board; and |
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(2) relevant academic or health care professionals. |
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(c) In conducting the assessment under this section, the |
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workgroup shall consider and evaluate: |
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(1) the standards, regulations, and laws currently |
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impacting the nursing profession; |
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(2) the feasibility of alignment in certification |
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requirements for nurse aides, medication aides, and personal care |
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technicians to minimize duplicative efforts in the educational |
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pathways in nursing; and |
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(3) the present and future impact of new business |
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practices and advancing technologies in health care. |
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(d) Not later than December 1, 2026, the workgroup |
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established under this section shall submit a report summarizing |
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the results of the assessment conducted under this section to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature |
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with primary jurisdiction over nursing. |
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SECTION 3. GOLD RIBBON PANEL ON THE FUTURE OF NURSING. (a) |
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In this section, "board" means the Texas Board of Nursing. |
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(b) The board, in consultation with the Texas Center for |
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Nursing Workforce Studies, shall oversee a gold ribbon panel to |
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review and examine the current nursing program standards and |
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educational and other accreditation requirements to identify any |
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changes needed to prepare for the future of the nursing profession. |
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The panel consists of not more than 13 members appointed by the |
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governor as follows: |
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(1) one member who is a registered nurse; |
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(2) one member who is a licensed vocational nurse; |
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(3) one member who is an advanced practice registered |
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nurse; |
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(4) three members representing nursing education |
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programs, with at least one representing each of the following: |
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(A) an associate degree program; |
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(B) a baccalaureate degree program; and |
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(C) a nursing program provided by a private |
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institution of higher education; |
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(5) three members representing hospitals, including |
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representation of at least three of the following: |
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(A) a hospital in a rural community; |
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(B) a hospital in an urban community; |
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(C) a trauma hospital; |
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(D) a teaching hospital; and |
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(E) a children's hospital; and |
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(6) not more than four members with relevant |
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experience representing alternative practice settings such as a |
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nursing home, a community health clinic, or at-home health. |
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(c) Not later than the 60th day after the date the panel is |
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appointed, the board shall publish on the board's Internet website |
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and in the Texas Register a request for written comments regarding |
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nursing program standards and educational and other accreditation |
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requirements from stakeholders in nursing programs and the nursing |
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profession. The board shall forward relevant comments to the |
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panel. |
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(d) The board shall assist the panel in conducting at least |
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three public hearings in accessible locations to obtain oral and |
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written comments regarding nursing program standards and |
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educational and other accreditation requirements. The board shall |
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provide notice of the hearings in the manner provided by Chapter |
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551, Government Code, and on the board's Internet website. |
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(e) The panel is a governmental body for purposes of |
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Chapters 551 and 552, Government Code. |
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(f) In conducting the review under this section, the panel |
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shall evaluate and consider: |
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(1) innovative nursing industry programs across the |
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United States, in the military, and in other countries; |
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(2) published literature regarding effective methods |
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for educating and regulating nurses that result in measurable |
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improved outcomes; and |
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(3) the effect on the practice of nursing of changes |
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in: |
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(A) technology that impacts the nursing |
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profession; |
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(B) the role of nurses in health practice; and |
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(C) nursing education, including the teaching of |
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soft skills and patient interaction. |
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(g) The board and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board shall provide administrative support to the panel. |
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(h) Not later than December 1, 2026, the panel shall submit |
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a report summarizing the results of the review under this section |
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and including the panel's recommendations to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and each standing committee of the legislature with primary |
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jurisdiction over nursing. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2025. |