By: Cook, et al. S.B. No. 2891     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of the Health Professions Workforce   Coordinating Council and the abolition of the statewide health   coordinating council and the nursing advisory committee of that   council.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is   amended by adding Chapter 104A to read as follows:   CHAPTER 104A. HEALTH PROFESSIONS WORKFORCE COORDINATING COUNCIL          Sec. 104A.001.  DEFINITION. In this chapter, "council"   means the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council.          Sec. 104A.002.  ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENT.     (a)  The Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council is   established to study and develop a strategic approach for ensuring   a thriving health care system and health professions workforce in   this state.          (b)  The council is administratively attached to the   department. The department shall provide administrative support to   the council.          Sec. 104A.003.  MEMBERSHIP. (a)  The council is composed of:                (1)  at least one representative appointed by the   executive director or governing body of each of the following:                      (A)  the department;                      (B)  the commission;                      (C)  the Texas Education Agency;                      (D)  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating   Board;                      (E)  the Texas Workforce Commission;                      (F)  the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners;                      (G)  the State Board of Dental Examiners;                      (H)  the Texas Medical Board;                      (I)  the Texas Board of Nursing;                      (J)  the Texas Optometry Board;                      (K)  the Texas State Board of Pharmacy;                      (L)  the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and   Occupational Therapy Examiners;                      (M)  the Texas Behavioral Health Executive   Council;                      (N)  the State Board of Veterinary Medical   Examiners; and                      (O)  the Texas Veterinary Medical Association;   and                (2)  four members with relevant health care experience,   including experience in health professions workforce planning or   complex health care data analysis, appointed by the governor.          (b)  A council member serves at the pleasure of the   appointing authority.          (c)  A vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same   manner as the original appointment.          Sec. 104A.004.  DUTIES. The council shall:                (1)  compile from each state agency with a   representative appointed to the council under Section   104A.003(a)(1) information regarding the health professions   workforce, including:                      (A)  high school graduation rates from the Texas   Education Agency;                      (B)  higher education graduation and   certification rates from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating   Board;                      (C)  health professions workforce shortages;                      (D)  the number of licensed health care   professionals regulated by each participating licensing state   agency;                      (E)  federal labor statistics regarding health   professions; and                      (F)  any other information relevant to the supply   and demand of health care professionals;                (2)  prepare the strategic plan described by Section   104A.005; and                (3)  establish the work group described by Section   104A.006.          Sec. 104A.005.  STRATEGIC PLAN. (a)  The council shall   examine the health professions in this state based on the   information compiled under Section 104A.004(1) and biennially   prepare a health professions strategic plan.  The plan must:                (1)  include a data analysis model demonstrating the   supply, demand, production, and projected need for the next 10   years of the health professions workforce;                (2)  define targeted goals and objectives for the   health professions workforce, including short-term and long-term   strategies for each state agency participating in the council and   local workforce planning agencies to build a thriving health care   system;                (3)  identify immediate shortages in health   professions;                (4)  define goals for this state to support the health   care needs of a growing population;                (5)  examine this state's capacity to satisfy future   health profession demands based on the existing education programs   offered and current trends of interstate migration, attrition, and   other relevant workforce factors;                (6)  propose recommendations to realign existing   workforce and education programs;                (7)  propose the development of additional education   programs for health professions that align with the long-term goals   and projections identified in the plan;                 (8)  identify systemic causes of workforce shortages   for health professions; and                (9)  inventory programs and services, including state   funding amounts provided for workforce planning and preparation and   for health professional education.          (b)  Not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year, the   council shall complete and publish on the council's Internet   website the strategic plan described by Subsection (a).          Sec. 104A.006.  WORK GROUP. (a)  The council shall establish   a work group to examine the health professions and health care   education programs that provide a gateway into a variety of health   professions.  The work group consists of members of the council or   their designees.          (b)  The work group shall:                (1)  identify sources for gathering information on   gateway health professions; and                (2)  build a data analysis model to monitor the   historical growth of gateway health professions.          Sec. 104A.007.  NURSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a)  The   council shall establish a nursing advisory committee to assist the   council with its duties.  A majority of the members of the advisory   committee must be nurses, and the advisory committee:                (1)  must include:                      (A)  members of associations representing nurses,   educators of nurses, and employers of nurses;                      (B)  members representing the Texas Board of   Nursing; and                      (C)  at least one member who is a nurse   researcher; and                (2)  may include other members who are public or   private sector health care experts, nurses, nurse educators,   employers of nurses, or consumers of nursing services.          (b)  The nursing advisory committee shall:                (1)  review policies governing data collection and   reports published under Chapter 105 that relate to the nursing   profession;                (2)  subject to approval of the council, develop   priorities and an operations plan for the nursing resource section   established under Section 105.002(b); and                (3)  review reports and information before   dissemination by the council.          (c)  A nurse member of the nursing advisory committee and a   nurse member of the council shall co-chair the committee.          (d)  Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the   nursing advisory committee formed under this section.          (e)  Meetings of the nursing advisory committee under this   section are subject to Chapter 551, Government Code.          Sec. 104A.008.  DEPARTMENT AUTHORITY TO COLLECT DATA.     Nothing in this chapter may be construed to limit the collection of   health care facility data by the department or a program the   department administers in accordance with other law.          SECTION 2.  Section 56.3075(a), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  If the money available for TEXAS grants in a period for   which grants are awarded is sufficient to provide grants to all   eligible applicants in amounts specified by Section 56.307, the   coordinating board may use any excess money available for TEXAS   grants to award a grant in an amount not more than three times the   amount that may be awarded under Section 56.307 to a student who:                (1)  is enrolled in a program that fulfills the   educational requirements for licensure or certification by the   state in a health care profession that the coordinating board, in   consultation with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Department   of State Health Services [statewide health coordinating council],   has identified as having a critical shortage in the number of   license holders needed in this state;                (2)  has completed at least one-half of the work toward   a degree or certificate that fulfills the educational requirement   for licensure or certification; and                (3)  meets all the requirements to receive a grant   award under Section 56.307.          SECTION 3.  Section 56.4075(a), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  The coordinating board may award a grant in an amount   not more than three times the amount that may be awarded under   Section 56.407 to a student who:                (1)  is enrolled in a program that fulfills the   educational requirements for licensure or certification by the   state in a health care profession that the coordinating board, in   consultation with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Department   of State Health Services [statewide health coordinating council],   has identified as having a critical shortage in the number of   license holders needed in this state;                (2)  has completed at least one-half of the work toward   a degree or certificate that fulfills the educational requirement   for licensure or certification; and                (3)  meets all the requirements to receive a grant   award under Section 56.407.          SECTION 4.  Section 61.9641, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 61.9641.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:                (1)  "Clinical site" means an acute care or   rehabilitation facility, a primary care setting, a long-term care   facility, a nursing home, a residential care setting, or any other   site identified by the board as providing clinical learning   experiences for nursing students.                (2)  "Nursing advisory committee" means the nursing   advisory committee established under Section 104A.007 [104.0155],   Health and Safety Code.          SECTION 5.  Sections 32.046(c) and (d), Health and Safety   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (c)  The commission shall coordinate with the department,   [the statewide health coordinating council,] the office of mental   health coordination, and the statewide behavioral health   coordinating council in developing the strategic plan.          (d)  The commission, in consultation with the department,   [the statewide health coordinating council,] the office of mental   health coordination, and the statewide behavioral health   coordinating council, shall annually review and update, as   necessary, the strategic plan.          SECTION 6.  Sections 32.047(d) and (e), Health and Safety   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (d)  The commission shall coordinate with the department   [and the statewide health coordinating council] in the development   of the strategic plan.          (e)  The commission, in consultation with the department   [and the statewide health coordinating council], shall annually   review the strategic plan and update the plan as necessary.          SECTION 7.  Section 105.001(2), Health and Safety Code, is   amended to read as follows:                (2)  "Council" means the Health Professions Workforce   Coordinating Council [statewide health coordinating council].          SECTION 8.  Section 105.002(b), Health and Safety Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  In conjunction with the nursing advisory committee   formed under Section 104A.007 [104.0155], to avoid duplication of   effort, and to the extent funding is available through fees   collected under Section 301.155(c), Occupations Code, the council   shall establish a nursing resource section within the center for   the collection and analysis of educational and employment trends   for nurses in this state.          SECTION 9.  Section 222.022(2), Health and Safety Code, is   amended to read as follows:                (2)  "Health care facility" means a public or private   hospital, skilled nursing facility, intermediate care facility,   ambulatory surgical center, family planning clinic that performs   ambulatory surgical procedures, rural or urban health initiative   clinic, end stage renal disease facility, and inpatient   rehabilitation facility.  The term does not include the office of   physicians or practitioners of the healing arts practicing   individually or in groups or [has the meaning assigned by Section   104.002, except that the term does not include] a chemical   dependency treatment facility licensed by the Department of State   Health Services under Chapter 464.          SECTION 10.  The following provisions of the Health and   Safety Code are repealed:                (1)  Chapter 104;                (2)  Section 105.011(c); and                (3)  Section 311.033(d).          SECTION 11.  (a)  On the effective date of this Act:                (1)  the statewide health coordinating council   established under Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Health and Safety   Code, is abolished, and the council member terms expire; and                (2)  the nursing advisory committee established under   Section 104.0155, Health and Safety Code, is abolished, and the   committee member terms expire.          (b)  On the effective date of this Act, any appropriation to,   and any unexpended, unobligated funds of the statewide health   coordinating council or the nursing advisory committee, is an   appropriation to the Department of State Health Services for   purposes of establishing and providing administrative support to   the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council.  The   department and council assume all obligations, property, rights,   and duties of the statewide health coordinating council and the   nursing advisory committee.          SECTION 12.  (a)  Not later than October 1, 2025, the   appropriate entities shall designate members of the Health   Professions Workforce Coordinating Council established under   Chapter 104A, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.          (b)  Not later than December 1, 2026, the Health Professions   Workforce Coordinating Council established under Chapter 104A,   Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, shall appoint the   members of the nursing advisory committee established under Section   104A.007, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.  An   individual who is a member of the statewide health coordinating   council nursing advisory committee established under Section   104.0155, Health and Safety Code, as repealed by this Act, may be   appointed as a member of the nursing advisory committee established   under Section 104A.007, Health and Safety Code, as added by this   Act.          (c)  Not later than October 1, 2026, the Health Professions   Workforce Coordinating Council established under Chapter 104A,   Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, shall publish its   initial strategic plan as required by Section 104A.005, Health and   Safety Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 13.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.