By: Howard, et al. H.B. No. 2851 (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst, et al.) (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2025; May 5, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education K-16; May 19, 2025, rereferred to Committee on Health & Human Services; May 23, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 23, 2025, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2851 By: Kolkhorst A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to including nursing school applications in a consolidated application service. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51.765 to read as follows: Sec. 51.765. NURSING SCHOOL APPLICATION CONSOLIDATION. (a) A service or organization that provides consolidated application services for applications to medical schools or dental schools, including the Texas Health Education Service at The University of Texas System Administration, must include applications for nursing schools in this state. (b) The Texas Health Education Service at The University of Texas System Administration shall establish an advisory board to develop: (1) recommendations for including applications for nursing schools in this state in the consolidated application services for applications to medical schools or dental schools as required under Subsection (a); and (2) an implementation plan for the recommendations developed under Subdivision (1). (c) The advisory board shall consist of representatives of professional nursing programs in this state and representatives with expertise in professional nursing program applications appointed by the Texas Health Education Service at The University of Texas System Administration. (d) The Texas Health Education Service at The University of Texas System Administration shall publish the implementation plan developed by the advisory board under this section on an Internet website operated by the Texas Health Education Service not later than January 1, 2026. (e) The advisory board is abolished and this subsection and Subsections (b), (c), and (d) expire September 1, 2027. SECTION 2. Section 51.765(a), Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with applications for admission to a nursing school for the 2027 fall semester. SECTION 3. The Texas Health Education Service at The University of Texas System Administration shall appoint the members of the advisory board under Section 51.765(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2025. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. * * * * *