THOT-supported House Bill 3930 adds grant funding for nursing education and training programs.

HB 3930, authored by Reps. John Bryant and Donna Howard, adds critical funding that will augment the state’s health care workforce strategy to train and equip more nurses through clinical training opportunities. The House Committee on Higher Education heard the bill April 24. This legislation aligns with solutions THOT has recommended to the Texas Legislature and represents an important step in overcoming the nurse workforce shortage.

Nursing Workforce Shortage

Texas faces a projected shortage of 12,572 licensed vocational nurses and 57,012 registered nurses by 2032. Insufficient clinical training capacity and insufficient number of nurse faculty are the primary obstacles to growing a high-quality Texas nurse workforce.

Investments in clinical training, retention, transition to practice, and workplace safety are needed to meet the demands of today’s nurse workforce.

THOT Recommendations

HB 3930 includes several of THOT’s recommended investments, including funding for preceptor pay differentials at clinical sites to increase the number of preceptors needed to expand clinical site capacity, the creation and funding of nursing innovation and coordination grants for clinical sites, including hospitals and health systems, and increased funding for workplace violence prevention, and the creation and funding of clinical nurse faculty grant programs.

HB 3930 has a companion bill in the Texas Senate, Senate Bill 2059, by Rep. Juan Hinojosa, which advanced out of the Senate Education Committee on April 19.