By: Howard, et al. H.B. No. 2851
        (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst, et al.)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2025;
  May 5, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education
  K-16; May 19, 2025, rereferred to Committee on Health & Human
  Services; May 23, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;
  May 23, 2025, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2851 By:  Kolkhorst
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to including nursing school applications in a consolidated
  application service.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.765 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.765.  NURSING SCHOOL APPLICATION CONSOLIDATION. (a)  
  A service or organization that provides consolidated application
  services for applications to medical schools or dental schools,
  including the Texas Health Education Service at The University of
  Texas System Administration, must include applications for nursing
  schools in this state.
         (b)  The Texas Health Education Service at The University of
  Texas System Administration shall 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)  The advisory board shall consist of representatives of
  professional nursing programs in this state and representatives
  with expertise in professional nursing program applications
  appointed by the Texas Health Education Service at The University
  of Texas System Administration.
         (d)  The Texas Health Education Service at The University of
  Texas System Administration shall publish the implementation plan
  developed by the advisory board under this section on an Internet
  website operated by the Texas Health Education Service not later
  than January 1, 2026.
         (e)  The advisory board is abolished and this subsection and
  Subsections (b), (c), and (d) expire September 1, 2027.
         SECTION 2.  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.  The Texas Health Education Service at The
  University of Texas System Administration shall 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.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
 
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