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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improving access to nursing education programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The board, with the assistance of an advisory committee |
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composed of representatives of general academic teaching |
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institutions, junior college districts, public state colleges, and |
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public technical institutes, and with the consultation of all |
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institutions of higher education that admit freshman-level |
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students: |
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(1) shall adopt by rule: |
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(A) a common admission application form for use |
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by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a general |
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academic teaching institution; [and] |
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(B) an electronic common admission application |
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form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to |
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an institution of higher education that admits freshman-level |
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students, other than a general academic teaching institution; and |
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(C) an electronic common admission application |
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form for use by a person seeking admission to a nursing education |
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program at an institution of higher education; and |
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(2) may adopt by rule a printed format common |
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admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as |
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a freshman student to an institution of higher education that |
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admits freshman-level students, other than a general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(g-1) The electronic common admission application form for |
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use by a person seeking admission to a nursing education program at |
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an institution of higher education must include a link to |
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information regarding any available scholarship opportunities for |
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nursing education degree students at institutions of higher |
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education. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.026, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.026. COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES. (a) The |
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chairman may appoint committees from the board's membership as the |
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chairman [he] or the board may find necessary from time to time. |
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The board may appoint advisory committees from outside its |
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membership as it may deem necessary. |
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(b) If the board directs an advisory committee to assist the |
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board in exercising its authority under Section 61.051(j) regarding |
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an off-campus course in nursing education, including clinical |
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coursework, the board shall require the advisory committee to |
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include or consult with one or more career schools or colleges that |
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are authorized to offer degrees in this state and are located in the |
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area where the course is to be offered. In this subsection, "career |
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school or college" has the meaning assigned by Section 132.001. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.5391(b), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Money in the account may not be appropriated for any |
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purpose except: |
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(1) to provide loan repayment assistance to eligible |
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physicians under this subchapter; or |
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(2) to provide loan repayment assistance under |
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Subchapter L to eligible faculty of professional nursing programs |
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for graduate-level nursing education loans. |
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SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt an electronic common admission application form for |
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nursing education programs as required by Section 51.762, Education |
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Code, as amended by this Act, not later than September 1, 2014. An |
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institution of higher education must accept applications for |
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nursing education programs using the electronic common admission |
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application form beginning with applicants for admission for the |
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2015-2016 academic year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |