| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 4353 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to the licensing of certain nurses who will practice in |
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| 6 | 6 | | border counties. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 301.262 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 301.262. SPECIAL LICENSE. (a) The board may issue a |
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| 11 | 11 | | license under this section to a person licensed to practice nursing |
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| 12 | 12 | | in Mexico if the person: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) graduated from an accredited nursing program in |
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| 14 | 14 | | Mexico; |
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| 15 | 15 | | (2) provides a report acceptable to the board issued |
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| 16 | 16 | | by a credentials evaluation service approved by the board; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (3) applies on a form prescribed by the board and pays |
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| 18 | 18 | | the fee required by the board; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (4) has received a score of at least 475 on a Test of |
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| 20 | 20 | | English as a Foreign Language examination; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (5) has received a score acceptable to the board on an |
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| 22 | 22 | | English language version of the appropriate National Council |
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| 23 | 23 | | Licensure Examination; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (6) is eligible for employment in the United States; |
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| 25 | 25 | | and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (7) will practice nursing in a county that borders |
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| 27 | 27 | | Mexico. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) A license issued under this section is valid for one |
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| 29 | 29 | | year and may not be renewed. A person who holds or has held a |
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| 30 | 30 | | license issued under this section may apply for another type of |
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| 31 | 31 | | license under this chapter. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) A person who holds a license issued under this section |
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| 33 | 33 | | may practice nursing only as an employee of a hospital located in a |
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| 34 | 34 | | county that borders Mexico. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) A person who holds a license issued under this section |
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| 36 | 36 | | is not entitled to a multistate licensing privilege to practice |
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| 37 | 37 | | under the Nurse Licensure Compact under Chapter 304. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) This section expires September 1, 2013. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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| 40 | 40 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 42 | 42 | | I certify that H.B. No. 4353 was passed by the House on April |
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| 43 | 43 | | 30, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 95, Nays 30, 1 present, not |
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| 44 | 44 | | voting. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 47 | 47 | | I certify that H.B. No. 4353 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 48 | 48 | | 26, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Date |
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| 53 | 53 | | _____________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Governor |
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