88R8965 MM-F     By: Huffman S.B. No. 2059       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to grant programs established to support nursing education   and training.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter Z-1 to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER Z-1.  GRANT PROGRAMS SUPPORTING NURSING EDUCATION AND   TRAINING          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 104.0155, Health and   Safety Code.          Sec. 61.9642.  CLINICAL SITE NURSE PRECEPTOR GRANT PROGRAM.     (a)  The board, in consultation with the nursing advisory   committee, shall establish and administer a program to award grants   to eligible clinical sites to support the use of nurse preceptors in   providing clinical training to nursing students.          (b)  To be eligible for a grant under this section, a   clinical site must:                (1)  provide clinical training to nursing students   through the use of one or more nurse preceptors;                (2)  comply with any clinical site requirements   established by the board; and                (3)  comply with any other requirements adopted by   board rule.          Sec. 61.9643.  CLINICAL SITE INNOVATION AND COORDINATION   PROGRAM. The board shall establish and administer a program to   award grants to eligible clinical sites that create and operate   innovative pilot programs that will support nursing performed at   clinical sites in this state by increasing the number of nurses,   improving the working environment for nurses, improving the   retention of nurses, addressing workplace safety, and coordinating   with other clinical sites any solutions found to address common   nursing concerns.          Sec. 61.9644.  NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM: PART-TIME   POSITIONS.  (a)  The board shall award grants under a nursing   faculty grant program to eligible institutions of higher education   to provide funding for qualified nursing staff working at clinical   sites who serve as part-time nursing faculty at those institutions.          (b)  The amount of a grant and the number of grants to be   awarded must be based on the total number of nursing staff serving   as part-time faculty in institutions of higher education throughout   the state in the year for which the grant is awarded.          (c)  A grant received under this section must be expended to   support the applicable nursing faculty positions, including the   faculty stipend.          (d)  An institution of higher education must certify in the   grant application the number of unfilled faculty positions to which   the application applies and, after a grant is awarded, must certify   which of those positions have been filled before receipt of the   grant funds.          (e)  The board shall prescribe the dates for the submission   of applications and the award of grants under this section to ensure   that a grant recipient has sufficient time to prepare for receipt   and effective use of the grant funds before the academic period for   which the grant is awarded.          (f)  Grant amounts are awarded under this section for two   consecutive state fiscal years.  The board may distribute a grant   amount for nursing faculty only on receiving the certification from   the institution of higher education that the applicable nurse   faculty position has been filled. For each first-year nursing   faculty position for which a clinical site receives an initial   grant amount in a state fiscal year, the board shall make available   an equal grant amount for the subsequent state fiscal year   contingent on filling the part-time nursing faculty positions   funded by the grant in that second year.          Sec. 61.9645.  NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM: CLINICAL   TRAINING. (a)  The board shall award grants under a nursing faculty   grant program to eligible clinical sites to provide funding for   qualified nursing faculty of institutions of higher education who   seek to obtain additional clinical training by working part-time at   a clinical site.          (b)  The amount of a grant and the number of grants to be   awarded must be based on the total number of nursing faculty in   institutions of higher education throughout the state in the year   for which the grant is awarded.          Sec. 61.9646.  FUNDS. (a)  In consultation with the nursing   advisory committee, the board shall allocate funds appropriated for   purposes of this subchapter and any other funds received as   described by Subsection (b) as the board considers appropriate to   further the purposes of this subchapter.          (b)  In addition to money appropriated by the legislature,   the board may solicit, accept, and spend gifts, grants, and   donations from any public or private source for the purposes of the   grant programs established under this subchapter.          Sec. 61.9647.  RULES. In consultation with the nursing   advisory committee, the board shall adopt rules for the   administration of the grant programs established under this   subchapter. The rules must include:                (1)  administrative provisions relating to the   awarding of grants under this subchapter, such as:                      (A)  eligibility criteria for clinical sites or   institutions of higher education, as applicable;                      (B)  grant application procedures;                      (C)  guidelines relating to grant amounts;                      (D)  procedures for evaluating grant   applications; and                      (E)  procedures for monitoring the use of grants;   and                (2)  methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants   that:                      (A)  use data reasonably available to the board or   the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies; and                      (B)  evaluate transferability and scalability of   innovation programs.          SECTION 2.  (a)  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   grant programs required by Subchapter Z-1, 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.          (b)  Not later than September 1, 2023, the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board shall establish the grant programs   required by Subchapter Z-1, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by   this Act, and shall begin to award grants under those programs not   later than January 1, 2024.          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, 2023.