89R6069 AND-D     By: Howard H.B. No. 2188       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the transition of the nurse aide certification program   from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Board of   Nursing and the creation of a workgroup on nursing career pathways.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  NURSE AIDE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. (a)  The Texas   Board of Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission shall   jointly develop an operational plan for transitioning the nurse   aide certification program from the Health and Human Services   Commission to the Texas Board of Nursing.  The study must include   all financial, operational, and other relevant considerations   necessary for the transition.          (b)  Not later than December 1, 2026, the Texas Board of   Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission shall submit   the plan developed under this section to the governor, the   lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,   and each standing committee of the legislature with primary   jurisdiction over nursing.          SECTION 2.  NURSING CAREER PATHWAYS. (a)  The Texas Center   for Nursing Workforce Studies shall establish and oversee a   workgroup to assess the feasibility of better aligning the   certification and career pathways of nurse aides, medication aides,   and personal care technicians into the nursing profession.          (b)  The workgroup must include:                (1)  the executive head of each of the following   entities, or that person's designated representative:                      (A)  the Texas Board of Nursing;                      (B)  the Health and Human Services Commission;                      (C)  the Texas Workforce Commission;                      (D)  the Texas Education Agency; and                      (E)  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating   Board; and                (2)  relevant academic or health care professionals.          (c)  In conducting the assessment under this section, the   workgroup shall consider and evaluate:                (1)  the standards, regulations, and laws currently   impacting the nursing profession;                (2)  the feasibility of alignment in certification   requirements for nurse aides, medication aides, and personal care   technicians to minimize duplicative efforts in the educational   pathways in nursing; and                (3)  the present and future impact of new business   practices and advancing technologies in health care.          (d)  Not later than December 1, 2026, the workgroup   established under this section shall submit a report summarizing   the results of the assessment conducted under this section to the   governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of   representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature   with primary jurisdiction over nursing.          SECTION 3.  EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2027.          SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September   1, 2025.