H.B. No. 3443
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Texas hospital-based nursing education partnership
  grant program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter EE to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER EE. TEXAS HOSPITAL-BASED NURSING EDUCATION
  PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM
         Sec. 61.9751.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Hospital-based nursing education partnership"
  means a partnership that:
                     (A)  consists of one or more hospitals in this
  state that are not owned, maintained, or operated by the federal or
  state government or an agency of the federal or state government and
  one or more nursing education programs in this state; and
                     (B)  serves to increase the number of students
  enrolled in and graduation rates for each nursing education program
  in the partnership.
               (2)  "Nursing education program" means an
  undergraduate professional nursing program or a graduate
  professional nursing program as those terms are defined by Section
  54.221.
         Sec. 61.9752.  PROGRAM: ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION;
  PURPOSE.  (a) The Texas hospital-based nursing education
  partnership grant program is established.
         (b)  The board shall administer the program in accordance
  with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter.
         (c)  Under the program, to the extent funds are available
  under Section 61.9755, the board shall make grants to
  hospital-based nursing education partnerships to assist those
  partnerships to meet the state's needs for registered nurses by
  increasing the number of nursing education program graduates
  through innovative instruction through collaboration between
  hospitals and nursing education programs and the use of the
  existing expertise and facilities of those hospitals and programs.
         Sec. 61.9753.  GRANTS: CONDITIONS; LIMITATIONS.  (a)  The
  board may make a grant under this subchapter to a hospital-based
  nursing education partnership only if the board determines that:
               (1)  the partnership will meet applicable board and
  Board of Nurse Examiners standards for instruction and student
  competency for the associate, bachelor of science, or master of
  science nursing degree granted by each nursing education program
  participating in the partnership;
               (2)  each nursing education program participating in
  the partnership will, as a result of the partnership, enroll in the
  nursing education program a sufficient number of additional
  students as established by the board;
               (3)  the marginal cost to the state of producing a
  graduate of a nursing education program participating in the
  partnership will be comparable, as determined under criteria
  established by board rule, to the marginal cost to the state of
  producing a graduate of a nursing education program not
  participating in a partnership;
               (4)  each hospital participating in a partnership with
  a nursing education program will provide to students enrolled in
  the program clinical placements that:
                     (A)  allow the students to take part in providing
  or to observe, as appropriate, medical services offered by the
  hospital; and
                     (B)  meet the clinical education needs of the
  students; and
               (5)  the partnership will satisfy any other requirement
  established by board rule.
         (b)  In establishing the cost-comparison criteria under
  Subsection (a)(3), the board shall exclude reasonable development
  and initial implementation costs for the infrastructure necessary
  to support a hospital-based nursing education partnership.
         (c)  A grant under this subchapter  may be spent only on
  costs related to the development or operation of a hospital-based
  nursing education partnership that:
               (1)  prepares a student to earn an associate or
  bachelor of science degree in nursing and to achieve initial
  licensure as a registered nurse, including by providing an
  accelerated program to prepare a student to earn a bachelor of
  science degree in nursing;
               (2)  prepares a student to earn a master of science
  degree in nursing with a concentration in education; or
               (3)  provides an articulation program providing for
  advancement from an associate degree to a bachelor of science
  degree in nursing or to a master of science degree in nursing with a
  concentration in education.
         (d)  A hospital-based nursing education partnership shall
  return to the board money granted to the partnership under this
  subchapter that the partnership does not spend on eligible costs
  under Subsection (c). As the board determines appropriate to best
  achieve the purposes of these programs, the board may:
               (1)  use the money to make grants to other
  hospital-based nursing education partnerships;
               (2)  use the money to make grants under the
  professional nursing shortage reduction program established under
  Subchapter Z; or
               (3)  transfer the money to the permanent fund for
  higher education nursing, allied health, and other health-related
  programs established under Subchapter C, Chapter 63, for use in
  making grants under that subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9754.  PRIORITY FOR FUNDING.  In awarding a grant
  under this subchapter, the board shall give priority to a
  hospital-based nursing education partnership that submits a
  proposal that:
               (1)  provides for collaborative educational models
  between one or more participating hospitals and one or more
  participating nursing education programs that have signed a
  memorandum of understanding or other written agreement under which
  the participants agree to comply with standards established by the
  board, including any standards the board may establish that:
                     (A)  provide for program management that offers a
  centralized decision-making process allowing for inclusion of each
  entity participating in the partnership;
                     (B)  provide for access to clinical training
  positions for students in nursing education programs that are not
  participating in the partnership; and
                     (C)  specify the details of any requirement
  relating to a student in a nursing education program participating
  in the partnership being employed after graduation in a hospital
  participating in the partnership, including any details relating to
  the employment of students who do not complete the program, are not
  offered a nursing position at the hospital, or choose to pursue
  other employment;
               (2)  includes a demonstrable education model to:
                     (A)  increase the number of students enrolled in,
  the number of students graduating from, and the number of nursing
  faculty employed by each nursing education program participating in
  the partnership; and
                     (B)  improve student retention in each nursing
  education program;
               (3)  indicates the availability of money to match all
  or a portion of the grant money, including matching money from a
  hospital, private or nonprofit entity, or institution of higher
  education;
               (4)  provides for completion of a class admitted under
  this project to be funded by all members of the partnership if the
  funded project ends before the class graduation date;
               (5)  can be replicated by other hospital-based nursing
  education partnerships or nursing education programs; and
               (6)  includes plans for sustainability of the
  partnership beyond the grant period.
         Sec. 61.9755.  GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to
  money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit,
  receive, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any public or
  private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9756.  RULES.  The board shall adopt rules for the
  administration of the Texas hospital-based nursing education
  partnership grant program. The rules must include:
               (1)  provisions relating to applying for a grant under
  this subchapter; and
               (2)  standards of accountability to be met by any
  hospital-based nursing education partnership awarded a grant under
  this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9757.  APPROVAL AS NURSING EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM.
  The board and the Board of Nurse Examiners shall establish a single
  application process under which a hospital-based nursing education
  partnership may apply both for approval as a pilot program under
  Section 301.1605, Occupations Code, and for a grant under this
  subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9758.  REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  Each
  hospital-based nursing education partnership that receives a grant
  under this subchapter shall submit to the board narrative and
  financial reports that include information concerning the extent to
  which during the reporting period the partnership has complied with
  accountability standards established by the board.
         (b)  Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,
  the board shall submit a report to the governor, lieutenant
  governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. The report
  shall include a list and description of partnerships created under
  this subchapter and the number of new nursing student enrollees.
         Sec. 61.9759.  ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.  A reasonable amount,
  not to exceed three percent, of any money appropriated for purposes
  of this subchapter may be used to pay the costs of administering
  this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
  adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the Texas
  hospital-based nursing education partnership grant program
  established under Subchapter EE, Chapter 61, Education Code, as
  added by this Act. The board may adopt the initial rules in the
  manner provided by law for emergency rules.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3443 was passed by the House on May
  11, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 134, Nays 6, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 3443 on May 25, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 0,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3443 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 23, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor