84R5415 JSL-D
By: Darby H.B. No. 3078
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of an advisory committee to recommend a
uniform pre-nursing curriculum for undergraduate professional
nursing programs offered by public institutions of higher
education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.0261 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.0261. UNIFORM PRE-NURSING CURRICULUM ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. (a) In this section:
(1) "Pre-nursing curriculum" means a curriculum
designed to prepare students for enrollment in an undergraduate
professional nursing program.
(2) "Undergraduate professional nursing program"
means an educational program for preparing students for initial
licensure as registered nurses.
(b) The Uniform Pre-Nursing Curriculum Advisory Committee
is created to develop and make recommendations on a uniform
pre-nursing curriculum for undergraduate professional nursing
programs offered by institutions of higher education. The advisory
committee consists of at least nine members as follows:
(1) the commissioner of higher education or the
commissioner's designee;
(2) the executive director of the Texas Board of
Nursing or the executive director's designee;
(3) a representative of the Texas Nurses Association,
appointed by the board; and
(4) a representative from the undergraduate
professional nursing programs offered by at least six institutions
of higher education, appointed by the board.
(c) The members of the advisory committee may not receive
compensation for their service.
(d) The advisory committee shall develop and make
recommendations on a uniform pre-nursing curriculum to serve as the
prerequisite for gaining admission to each undergraduate
professional nursing program offered by an institution of higher
education. The uniform curriculum must specify the course content
for the first 60 semester credit hours a student must take before
gaining admission to an undergraduate professional nursing
program.
(e) Not later than September 1, 2016, the advisory committee
shall prepare and submit a report containing the committee's
recommended uniform pre-nursing curriculum to the legislature and
to each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction
over higher education.
(f) This section expires January 1, 2017.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board shall make the appointments to the
Uniform Pre-Nursing Curriculum Advisory Committee required under
Section 61.0261(b), Education Code, as added by this Act.
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, 2015.