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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(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as 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) a common admission application form for use |
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by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a nursing |
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education 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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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 for-profit career schools |
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offering nursing education courses in the area where the course is |
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to be offered. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter II to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER II. NURSING FACULTY LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9821. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall |
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establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with |
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this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of |
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student loans for nurses who: |
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(1) are serving on the faculties of nursing degree |
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programs at institutions of higher education or private or |
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independent institutions of higher education in positions that |
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require an advanced degree in professional nursing; and |
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(2) apply and qualify for the assistance. |
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Sec. 61.9822. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) at the time of application for repayment |
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assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as, |
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and be currently employed full-time as, a faculty member of a |
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nursing degree program at an institution of higher education or a |
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private or independent institution of higher education; and |
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(3) comply with any additional requirements adopted by |
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board rule. |
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Sec. 61.9823. LIMITATIONS. (a) On qualifying for loan |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse may receive |
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repayment assistance for each year of full-time employment as a |
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faculty member of a nursing degree program at an institution of |
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higher education or private or independent institution of higher |
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education, not to exceed five years. |
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(b) The amount of loan repayment assistance received by a |
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nurse under this subchapter may not exceed $5,000 in any one year. |
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(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance provided |
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under this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of gifts and |
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grants accepted by the board for the repayment assistance, |
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legislative appropriations for the repayment assistance, and other |
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funds available to the board for the repayment assistance, |
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including any money reallocated under Section 61.9826. |
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Sec. 61.9824. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
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repayment assistance for the repayment of any student loan for |
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education at any public or private institution of higher education, |
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including a loan for undergraduate education, received by an |
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eligible person through any lender. |
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(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a |
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student loan that is in default at the time of the nurse's |
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application. |
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Sec. 61.9825. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum: |
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(1) payable to both the lender or other holder of the |
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loan and the nurse; or |
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(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan |
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on the nurse's behalf. |
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(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any |
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amount due in connection with the loan. |
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Sec. 61.9826. REALLOCATION OF MONEY. (a) In each state |
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fiscal year, the board shall reallocate for loan repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter for a particular year any money in |
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the physician education loan repayment program account established |
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under Section 61.5391 that exceeds the amount necessary in that |
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fiscal year for purposes of repayment assistance under Subchapter |
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J. |
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(b) Each year money reallocated under this section may be |
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used to fund loan repayment assistance for not more than 50 eligible |
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applicants. |
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(c) Any money reallocated under Subsection (a) in a fiscal |
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year that is not used for loan repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter in that fiscal year is treated as if that unused amount |
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had not been reallocated in that fiscal year. |
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Sec. 61.9827. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board may solicit and |
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accept gifts and grants from any source for the purposes of this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.9828. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules as |
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necessary to administer this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted |
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under this section and pertinent information regarding this |
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subchapter to: |
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(1) each institution of higher education and private |
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or independent institution of higher education; |
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(2) any appropriate state agency; and |
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(3) any appropriate professional association. |
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SECTION 4. 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 II if reallocated under Section 61.9826. |
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SECTION 5. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules for loan repayment assistance under |
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Subchapter II, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not |
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later than December 1, 2013. |
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SECTION 6. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt a common freshman 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 freshman applications |
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for nursing education programs using the appropriate common |
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admission application form beginning with applicants for admission |
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for the 2015-2016 academic year. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |