Texas Governor Perry Ceremonially Signs Bill to Expand Stephen F. Austin State University School of Nursing
By admin - Posted on August 15th, 2007
Aug. 14, 2007 -- NACOGDOCHES – Texas Governor Rick Perry today, joined by state legislators and Stephen F. Austin State University leaders, ceremonially signed House Bill 1775, allowing the school to issue up to $13 million in revenue bonds to expand, renovate and construct School of Nursing facilities. The DeWitt Family presented a gift of land and facilities to the university, valued at $1.4 million, to house the expansion.
“I am especially pleased to sign this bill because it formalizes a partnership between a government committed to incentives instead of handouts, a community pledged to support education, and a school that is willing to invest in a bold vision for the future,” said Gov. Perry. “As a state, we are at our best when people at the local level address local challenges with local solutions. This is a prime example of that spirit of ownership, innovation and investment.”
According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas will have 27,000 fewer nurses than needed in 2010 if current trends continue unchecked. In East Texas, nearly ten percent of nursing jobs go unfilled. At the same time, nursing schools across the state are forced to turn away thousands of candidates each year due to limited facilities and a shortage of instructors.
During the most recent legislative session, Gov. Perry called for increased state funding to address the nursing shortage. The result was an appropriation of $14.7 million for the Professional Nursing Shortage Reduction Program to recruit and retain nursing faculty, a $9 million increase during FY 2006-07. The 2008-09 budget also allocates $4 million in proceeds from the tobacco lawsuit settlement to support innovative nursing education programs.
“This common-sense legislation will ultimately improve health services for all Texans by encouraging future private-sector investments in nursing education, modeling community involvement in local colleges, and increasing the capacity and quality of nursing instruction in Texas,” said Gov. Perry.
House Bill 1755 took effect June 15, 2007.
Source: Texas Governor
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