82R4439 KJM-F
By: Nelson S.B. No. 793
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to incentives to recruit and retain allied health
education program faculty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 54.225 and 54.226 to read as follows:
Sec. 54.225. CHILDREN OF ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAM FACULTY.
(a) In this section:
(1) "Allied health profession" means the profession
practiced by allied health professionals, as defined by 42 U.S.C.
Section 295p, except the term does not include acupuncture.
(2) "Child" means a child 25 years of age or younger
and includes an adopted child.
(3) "Graduate allied health program" means a master's
or doctoral degree program in an allied health profession that is
accredited by an accrediting entity recognized by the United States
Department of Education.
(4) "Undergraduate allied health program" means an
undergraduate degree or certificate program that:
(A) prepares students for initial licensure,
certification, or registration in an allied health profession; and
(B) is accredited by an accrediting entity
recognized by the United States Department of Education.
(b) The governing board of an institution of higher
education shall, contingent on appropriations of money for the
exemptions, exempt from the payment of tuition a resident of this
state enrolled as an undergraduate student at the institution who
is a child of a person who, at the beginning of the semester or other
academic term for which the exemption is sought:
(1) holds a master's or doctoral degree in an allied
health profession, if employed or under contract to serve in a
position other than as a teaching assistant under Subdivision (2),
or holds a baccalaureate degree in an allied health profession, if
employed or under contract to serve as a teaching assistant under
Subdivision (2); and
(2) meets either of the following requirements:
(A) is employed by the institution as a full-time
member of the faculty or staff of an undergraduate or graduate
allied health program with duties that include teaching, serving as
a teaching assistant, performing research, serving as an
administrator, or performing other professional services; or
(B) has contracted with the institution to serve
as a full-time member of the faculty or staff of an undergraduate or
graduate allied health program to perform duties described by
Paragraph (A) during all or part of the semester or other academic
term for which an exemption is sought or, if the child is enrolled
for a summer session, during all or part of that session or for the
next academic year.
(c) A child who would qualify for an exemption under this
section but for the fact that the child's parent is not employed
full-time is eligible for an exemption on a pro rata basis equal to
the percentage of full-time employment the parent is employed,
except that a parent employed for less than 25 percent of full-time
employment is considered to be employed for 25 percent of full-time
employment.
(d) A person is not eligible for an exemption under this
section if the person:
(1) has previously received an exemption under this
section for 10 semesters or summer sessions at any institution or
institutions of higher education; or
(2) has received a baccalaureate degree.
(e) For purposes of Subsection (d), a summer session that is
less than nine weeks in duration is considered one-half of a summer
session.
(f) The tuition exemption provided by this section applies
only to enrollment of a child at the institution at which the
child's parent is employed or is under contract.
(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt:
(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an
exemption under this section, including rules relating to the
determination of eligibility for an exemption; and
(2) a uniform application form for an exemption under
this section.
Sec. 54.226. PRECEPTORS FOR ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAMS. (a) In
this section, "allied health profession," "child," and
"undergraduate allied health program" have the meanings assigned by
Section 54.225.
(b) The governing board of an institution of higher
education shall exempt a person from the payment of $500 of the
total amount of tuition otherwise charged to a resident of this
state if the person is enrolled as a student at the institution and:
(1) holds a license, certificate, or registration in
an allied health profession; and
(2) is serving under a written preceptor agreement
with an undergraduate allied health program as a clinical preceptor
for students enrolled in the program for the semester or other
academic term for which the exemption is sought.
(c) The governing board of an institution of higher
education shall exempt a person from the payment of $500 of the
total amount of tuition otherwise charged to a resident of this
state if the person is enrolled as an undergraduate student at the
institution and is a child of a person who meets the requirements of
Subsections (b)(1) and (2).
(d) Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c), if a person
eligible for an exemption under this section owes less than $500 in
tuition, the governing board of the institution of higher education
in which the person is enrolled shall exempt the person from the
payment of only the amount of tuition the person owes.
(e) A person is not eligible for an exemption under
Subsection (c) if the person:
(1) has previously received an exemption under this
section for 10 semesters or summer sessions at any institution or
institutions of higher education; or
(2) has received a baccalaureate degree.
(f) For purposes of Subsection (e), a summer session that is
less than nine weeks in duration is considered one-half of a summer
session.
(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt:
(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an
exemption under this section, including rules relating to the
determination of eligibility for an exemption; and
(2) a uniform application form for an exemption under
this section.
SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter GG to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER GG. ALLIED HEALTH FACULTY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS
Sec. 61.9781. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Allied health profession" has the meaning
assigned by Section 54.225.
(2) "Allied health program" means a degree or
certificate program of a public or private institution of higher
education in this state that:
(A) prepares students for initial licensure,
certification, or registration in an allied health profession; and
(B) is accredited by an accrediting entity
recognized by the United States Department of Education.
Sec. 61.9782. ALLIED HEALTH FACULTY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS.
The board may, contingent on appropriations of money for the
grants, award allied health faculty enhancement grants to allied
health programs to assist the programs in the education,
recruitment, or retention of faculty members to enable the programs
to train students to meet the state's need for health care providers
in the allied health professions generally or in specific allied
health professions as the board determines appropriate.
Sec. 61.9783. USE OF GRANT. A grant awarded under this
subchapter may be used only for a purpose specified by Section
61.9782, including providing salary supplements and enhancements
and reducing the number of hours a faculty member must teach.
Sec. 61.9784. MATCHING FUNDS FOR GRANT. In awarding a grant
under this subchapter, the board may require the receiving
institution to provide matching funds or may give preference in
awarding a grant to an institution that provides matching funds.
Sec. 61.9785. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an
advisory committee to advise the board on successful strategies, in
addition to the grants awarded under this subchapter, for
educating, recruiting, or retaining qualified allied health
program faculty members who hold master's or doctoral degrees.
SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section, Sections 54.225 and 54.226, Education Code, as added by
this Act, apply beginning with the 2012 fall semester.
(b) Not later than January 1, 2012, the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules and forms relating
to tuition exemptions under Sections 54.225 and 54.226, Education
Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. 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, 2011.