Higher Education

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 2516

By
the Committee on Appropriations

576-03003-26 20262516__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to higher education; amending s.
3 464.0195, F.S.; establishing the Florida Center for
4 Nursing within the University of South Florida;
5 requiring the center to administer the Linking
6 Industry to Nursing Education Fund (LINE) Fund;
7 requiring the center to promote certain funds and
8 provide technical assistance during a specified
9 timeframe; requiring the center to develop certain
10 guidelines and make them publicly available on its
11 website; providing requirements for the administration
12 of LINE funds; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; providing
13 that a specified fee waiver applies to a student’s
14 out-of-pocket expenses for tuition and fees after
15 other aid is applied; deleting a requirement for a
16 state university to report and disburse certain waived
17 fees; deleting a requirement for disbursement;
18 amending s. 1009.8962, F.S.; providing that the LINE
19 Fund was established for shortages in health science
20 professions in addition to nursing; defining terms;
21 requiring that the LINE Fund be administered by the
22 Florida Center for Nursing within the University of
23 South Florida, rather than the Board of Governors and
24 the Department of Education; providing that funding is
25 subject to approval of an application by the center;
26 authorizing the fund to match certain contributions if
27 funds are available; revising how funds may be used;
28 providing exceptions to certain prohibitions on the
29 use of funds; revising requirements for a proposal for
30 LINE funds submitted by an institution; providing that
31 proposals for related health science programs may not
32 be prioritized over nursing programs; revising
33 requirements for the center to evaluate submitted
34 proposals; authorizing the center to prioritize
35 certain grant applications; requiring the center to
36 notify each applicant of its determination; defining
37 terms; requiring an institution with an approved
38 proposal to certify the health care partner’s
39 contribution in a specified manner; authorizing the
40 center to award funds for up to 3 academic years;
41 requiring institutions awarded grant funds to submit
42 an annual report by a certain date to the center
43 instead of the Board of Governors or the Department of
44 Education; providing that the Department of Education
45 is the lead entity for identifying and maintaining
46 which health science programs are eligible for LINE
47 funds; requiring the department to compile and publish
48 a list of eligible programs by a specified date;
49 requiring the department to review and update the list
50 annually; requiring the Office of Reimagining
51 Education and Career Help to provide specified data to
52 the department; deleting a requirement for the Board
53 of Governors to adopt regulations and the State Board
54 of Education to adopt rules; providing an effective
55 date.
56
57 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
58
59 Section 1. Section 464.0195, Florida Statutes, is amended
60 to read:
61 464.0195 Florida Center for Nursing
; g
oals
.—
62 (1) There is established
within the University of South

63
Florida
the Florida Center for Nursing to address issues of
64 supply and demand for nursing, including issues of recruitment,
65 retention, and utilization of
resources that support the state’s

66
nursing

nurse
workforce
resources
. The Legislature finds that
67 the center will repay the state’s investment by providing an
68 ongoing strategy for the allocation of the state’s resources
69 directed towards nursing.
70 (2) The primary goals for the center shall be to:
71 (a) Develop a strategic statewide plan for nursing manpower
72 in this state by:
73 1. Conducting a statistically valid biennial data-driven
74 gap analysis of the supply and demand of the health care
75 workforce. The center shall:
76 a. Establish and maintain a database on nursing supply and
77 demand in the state, to include current supply and demand.
78 b. Analyze the current and future supply and demand in the
79 state and the impact of this state’s participation in the Nurse
80 Licensure Compact under s. 464.0095.
81 2. Developing recommendations to increase nurse faculty and
82 clinical preceptors, support nurse faculty development, and
83 promote advanced nurse education.
84 3. Developing best practices in the academic preparation
85 and continuing education needs of qualified nurse educators,
86 nurse faculty, and clinical preceptors.
87 4. Collecting data on nurse faculty, employment,
88 distribution, and retention.
89 5. Piloting innovative projects to support the recruitment,
90 development, and retention of qualified nurse faculty and
91 clinical preceptors.
92 6. Encouraging and coordinating the development of
93 academic-practice partnerships, including partnerships with
94 hospitals which provide opportunities for nursing students to
95 obtain clinical experience, to support nurse faculty employment
96 and advancement.
97 7. Developing distance learning infrastructure for nursing
98 education and advancing faculty competencies in the pedagogy of
99 teaching and the evidence-based use of technology, simulation,
100 and distance learning techniques.
101 (b) Enhance and promote recognition, reward, and renewal
102 activities for nurses in the state by:
103 1. Promoting nursing excellence programs such as magnet
104 recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center;
105 2. Proposing and creating additional reward, recognition,
106 and renewal activities for nurses; and
107 3. Promoting media and positive image-building efforts for
108 nursing.
109 (c) Convene various groups representative of nurses, other
110 health care providers, business and industry, consumers,
111 lawmakers, and educators to:
112 1. Review and comment on data analysis prepared for the
113 center;
114 2. Recommend systemic changes, including strategies for
115 implementation of recommended changes; and
116 3. Evaluate and report the results of these efforts to the
117 Legislature and other entities.
118 (3) The Board of Nursing shall include on its initial and
119 renewal application forms a question asking each nurse to
120 voluntarily contribute to funding the Florida Center for Nursing
121 in addition to paying the fees imposed at the time of licensure
122 and licensure renewal. Revenues collected from nurses over and
123 above the required fees shall be transferred from the Medical
124 Quality Assurance Trust Fund to the Grants and Donations Trust
125 Fund within the Department of Health and shall be used solely to
126 support and maintain the goals and functions of the center.
127 Before giving a nurse the opportunity to contribute to funding
128 the center at the time of licensure renewal, the Board of
129 Nursing shall provide the nurse with a summary of the center’s
130 work, a link to the center’s Internet website, and the following
131 statement: “The Florida Center for Nursing’s operating revenues
132 are derived in part from your donation. In order for the Florida
133 Center for Nursing to continue its work on behalf of nurses,
134 please donate.”
135 (4) The center may request from the board, and the board
136 must provide to the center upon its request, any information
137 held by the board regarding nurses licensed in this state or
138 holding a multistate license pursuant to s. 464.0095 or
139 information reported to the board by employers of such nurses,
140 other than personal identifying information.
141
(5) The center shall administer the Linking Industry to

142
Nursing Education (LINE) Fund pursuant to s. 1009.8962.

143
(a) The center shall proactively promote to eligible

144
institutions the availability of matching funds through the LINE

145
Fund before the opening of the annual application period.

146
(b) The center shall provide technical assistance to

147
eligible institutions before, during, and after the award

148
process to maximize the success of the program statewide.

149
(c) To administer the application, evaluation, and

150
distribution of LINE Fund grants under s. 1009.8962, the center

151
shall develop and make publicly available on its website the

152
guidelines for the LINE Fund administration, including:

153
1. Any application procedures and deadlines.

154
2.

The criteria for program eligibility and funding

155
priorities.

156
3. A preapproval process to assist applicants with planning

157
for the annual application process.

158
4. A process to ensure the fair evaluation of all submitted

159
proposals and determination of award recipients.

160
5. The process that each type of eligible institution must

161
follow to certify the receipt of the pledged contributions from

162
any partner organizations before receiving any matching state

163
funds.

164
6. Reporting and accountability standards for grant

165
recipients that apply for or receive LINE funds, including

166
actions the center may consider when an institution materially

167
fails to comply with any program requirements or standards.

168
(6)
(5)
No later than each January 10, the center shall
169 submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
170 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives providing
171 details of its activities during the preceding calendar year in
172 pursuit of its goals and in the execution of its duties under
173 subsection (2), including a nursing education program report.
174 The center shall annually update the report no later than
175 February 10, to include data related to the NCLEX examination.
176 Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (18) of
177 section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, as amended by section 7 of
178 chapter 2025-199, Laws of Florida, are amended to read:
179 1009.26 Fee waivers.—
180 (18)(a) For every course in a Program of Strategic
181 Emphasis, or in a state-approved teacher preparation program
182 identified by the Board of Governors, as identified in
183 subparagraph 3., in which a student is enrolled
and has out-of

184
pocket expenses for tuition and fees after all other federal,

185
state, and institutional gift aid is applied
, a state university
186 shall waive 100 percent of the tuition and fees
of the student’s

187
out-of-pocket expenses
for an equivalent course in such program
188 for a student who:
189 1. Is a resident for tuition purposes under s. 1009.21.
190 2. Has earned at least 60 semester credit hours towards a
191 baccalaureate degree within 2 academic years after initial
192 enrollment at a Florida public postsecondary institution.
193 3. Enrolls in one of 10 Programs of Strategic Emphasis as
194 adopted by the Board of Governors or a state-approved teacher
195 preparation program. The Board of Governors shall adopt eight
196 Programs of Strategic Emphasis in science, technology,
197 engineering, or math; beginning with the 2022-2023 academic
198 year, two Programs of Strategic Emphasis in the critical
199 workforce gap analysis category; and beginning with the 2023
200 2024 academic year, two state-approved teacher preparation
201 programs for which a student may be eligible to receive the
202 tuition and fee waiver authorized by this subsection. The
203 programs identified by the board must reflect the priorities of
204 the state and be offered at a majority of state universities at
205 the time the Board of Governors approves the list.
206
(c)

Upon enrollment in a Program of Strategic Emphasis or a

207
state-approved teacher preparation program,
the tuition and fees

208
waived
under
this subsection must be reported for
state funding

209
purposes under ss. 1009.534 and 1009.535 and must be disbursed

210
to the student. The amount disbursed
to the student must be

211
equal
to the award amount
t
he student has received
under s.

212
100
9.534(3) or s
. 100
9.
535(2
).

213 Section 3. Subsections (2) through (10) of section
214 1009.8962, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
215 1009.8962 Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE)
216 Fund.—
217 (2) Recognizing that the state has a persistent and growing
218 nursing shortage
and shortages in other related health science

219
professions
, it is the intent of the Legislature to address this
220 critical workforce need by incentivizing collaboration between
221 nursing education
and related health science
programs and health
222 care partners through the establishment of the LINE Fund. This
223 fund is intended to meet local, regional, and state workforce
224 demand by recruiting faculty and clinical preceptors, increasing
225 the capacity of high-quality nursing education
and related

226
health science
programs, and increasing the number of nursing
227 education
and related health science
program graduates who are
228 prepared
and licensed
to enter the workforce.
229 (3) As used in this section, the term:
230
(a) “
Center” means the Florida Center for Nursing within

231
the University of South Florida, established by s. 464.0195.

232
(b)
(a)
“Health care partner” means a health care provider
233 as defined in s. 768.38(2)
that is licensed to operate in this

234
state
.
The center may also consider any of the following types

235
of organizations that are connected to nursing education or the

236
nursing workforce as a “health care partner” for the purpose of

237
evaluating an institution’s proposal and a pledged contribution

238
for matching LINE funds.

239
1.

An organization that manufactures or sells durable

240
medical equipment or simulation equipment that demonstrably

241
enhances or supplements a nursing student’s education.

242
2.

An organization that provides educational materials or

243
instruction related to preparation to pass a nationally

244
recognized nursing licensure examination.

245
3. A health care organization active in this state which

246
employs or uses licensed nurses to deliver direct patient care.

247
4. A
nonprofit organization
or fund
with
a
501
(c)(3)

248
designation registered in th
is

state
for
at least 2
years
before

249
the date of the initial LINE grant application which is

250
organized primarily, or which makes other reportable charitable

251
contributions, to
support
the
health

care workforce
of this

252
state through
training
or

the continuing
education of health

253
care
professionals
.

254
5.

A direct-support organization of an eligible applicant

255
whose match contribution supports an eligible purpose of the

256
grant.

257
(c)
(b)
“Institution” means a school district career center
258 under s. 1001.44; a charter technical career center under s.
259 1002.34; a Florida College System institution; a state
260 university; an independent nonprofit college or university
261 located and chartered in this state and accredited by an agency
262 or association that is recognized by the database created and
263 maintained by the United States Department of Education to grant
264 baccalaureate degrees; or an independent school, college, or
265 university with an accredited program as defined in s. 464.003
266 which is located in this state and licensed by the Commission
267 for Independent Education pursuant to s. 1005.31, or an
268 institution authorized under s. 1009.521, which has a nursing
269 education program that meets or exceeds the following:
270 1. For a certified nursing assistant program, a completion
271 rate
of no more than 10 percent below the current national

272
average

of at least 70 percent for the prior year
.
273 2. For a licensed practical nurse, associate of science in
274 nursing, and bachelor of science in nursing program, a first
275 time passage rate on the National Council of State Boards of
276 Nursing Licensing Examination
of no more than 10 percent below

277
the current national average,

of at least 75 percent for the

278
prior year
based on a minimum of 10 testing participants.
279
(
d
)

“
Related health science” means a program
that prepares

280
graduates to provide direct patient care or diagnostic services

281
that advance patient care in a health care setting, as defined

282
in s. 408.802, which are outlined in the State Board of

283
Education’s Career and Technical Education Health Science

284
curriculum framework, and which are identified by the Department

285
of Education pursuant to subsection (10).

286
(e)
(c)
“Student” means a person who is a resident for
287 tuition purposes pursuant to s. 1009.21 and enrolled in a
288 nursing education
or a related health science education degree

289
or certificate
program at an institution
that is part of the

290
State Board of Education’s Career and Technical Education Health

291
Science curriculum framework
.
292 (4) The LINE Fund shall be administered by the
center

Board

293
of Governors for state universities and the Department of

294
Education for all other institutions
.
295 (5) Subject to available funds
and the approval of an

296
application by the center
, for every dollar contributed to an
297 institution by a health care partner, the fund shall provide a
298 dollar-to-dollar match to the participating institution
to

299
implement the activities outlined in the institution’s approved

300
proposal. Subject to available funds, the fund may also provide

301
a dollar-to-dollar match to the participating institution for

302
every dollar contributed to an institution or its direct-support

303
organization by an individual or entity that does not meet the

304
definition of a health care partner, provided the contribution

305
supports an eligible purpose of the LINE Fund. Contributions

306
from health care partners shall receive priority awarding

307
matching
.
308 (6)(a) Funds may be used for student scholarships
;
,

309 recruitment of additional faculty
and clinical preceptors;

310
increasing program enrollment, program completion, and licensure

311
exam passage rates;
,
equipment
;
,

and
simulation centers
,

312
internships, and clinical preceptorships; and other related

313
activities determined by the center
to advance high-quality
314 nursing education programs
and to expand the qualified nursing

315
workforce

and related health science professions
throughout the
316 state.
317 (b) Funds may not be used for the construction of new
318 buildings
but may be used to expand, retrofit, or upgrade

319
existing facilities if the proposal will result in increased

320
program enrollments or improved or modernized educational or

321
simulation space for nursing education or related health science

322
students
.
323 (7)(a) To participate, an institution must submit a timely
324 and completed proposal to the
center

Board of Governors or

325
Department of Education,
in a
standardized
format
developed

326
under s. s. 464.0195(5)

prescribed by the Board of Governors or

327
Department of Education, as applicable
.
328 (b) The proposal must identify
the specific

a
health care
329 partner
located and licensed to operate in the state
whose
330 monetary
or nonmonetary
contributions will be matched by the
331 fund on a dollar-to-dollar basis
if the proposal is approved by

332
the center
.
333
1. Examples of allowable nonmonetary LINE Fund

334
contributions from health care partners include, but are not

335
limited to, the value of the donated use of health care partner

336
employees as nursing program instructors or clinical preceptors;

337
the value of the donated use of a health care partner’s space or

338
equipment by a nursing education program; or the value of

339
donated goods and services, such as educational or simulation

340
equipment, licensure exam preparation materials and instruction,

341
or other similar quantifiable donated goods and services deemed

342
by the center to be good faith contributions that support the

343
goals of the LINE Fund.

344
2. To accept nonmonetary contributions as health care

345
partner matching funds, the applicant and the center must

346
quantify the value of the contribution in dollars and certify

347
that the proposed contribution directly supports the goals of

348
the LINE Fund outlined in subsection (1).

349
(c) Proposals for related health science programs other

350
than nursing may be considered, but may not be prioritized over

351
nursing programs. The proposal for such programs must be part of

352
the State Board of Education’s Career and Technical Education

353
Health Science curriculum framework and include evidence that a

354
material regional workforce demand exists for that related

355
health science program.

356 (8)
(a)
The
center

Board of Governors or Department of

357
Education, as applicable,
must review and evaluate each
358 completed and timely submitted proposal according to the
359 following minimum criteria
, where applicable
:
360
1.
(a)
Whether funds committed by the health care partner
361 will contribute to an eligible purpose.
362
2.
(b)
How the institution plans to use the funds, including
363 how such funds will be utilized to increase student enrollment
,

364
and
program completion
, or licensure exam test-takers or passage

365
rates
.
366
3.
(c)
How the health care partner will onboard and retain
367 graduates
or otherwise improve the likelihood that graduates

368
will successfully join the state or local workforce
.
369
4.
(d)
How the funds will expand the institution’s nursing
370 education
and related health science
programs to meet local,
371 regional, or state workforce demands.
If applicable, this shall

372
include

373
5. How the proposal will enhance opportunities to pursue

374
and complete
advanced
education
nursing
education
programs
.

375
6.

and how

How
the funds will increase the number of
376 faculty and clinical preceptors and planned efforts to utilize
377 the clinical placement process established in s. 14.36.
378
(b) The center may assign priority consideration for grant

379
applications that will improve services in underserved

380
geographic areas or for programs and partnerships that address

381
the greatest workforce needs or gaps identified under s.

382
464.0195.

383
(c) After reviewing and evaluating each timely submitted

384
proposal, the center must notify each applicant regarding which

385
of the following categories each of the institution’s proposals

386
has been classified into, and provide a brief explanation for

387
the center’s principal reason or reasons for reaching its

388
determination:

389
1. Approved;

390
2. Provisionally Approved;

391
3. Approved, Pending Available Funding; or

392
4. Denied for Funding.

393
(d)

As used in this subsection, the term:

394
1. “Approved” means that the center agrees that the

395
institution’s proposal meets the criteria and intent of this

396
section, and the proposal will receive matching LINE funding

397
upon certification of the receipt of the health care partner’s

398
contribution.

399
2. “Provisionally Approved” means

that the center agrees

400
that the institution’s proposal makes a good faith effort to

401
meet the criteria and intent of this section, but the center

402
determined that additional information or amendments to the

403
proposal are necessary to bring the proposal into full

404
compliance with the requirements of this section.

405
a. The center may offer technical assistance to the

406
applying institution to ensure its resubmitted application meets

407
the full program requirements for funding.

408
b. A Provisionally Approved proposal, if timely

409
resubmitted, may immediately
move
to an Approved proposal if the

410
center determines that the resubmitted proposal meets the full

411
requirements of this section, that sufficient LINE funds are

412
available to match the proposal, and that the proposal addresses

413
a high priority need for the state, such as serving underserved

414
geographic areas or closing identified workforce gaps.

415
3.

“Approved, Pending Available Funding” means that the

416
center agrees that the institution’s proposal, or resubmitted

417
proposal, meets the criteria and intent of this section, but the

418
proposal will not receive matching LINE funds unless additional

419
LINE funding becomes available later in the fiscal year. The

420
availability of LINE Fund dollars to match proposals classified

421
as Approved, Pending Available Funding may result from:

422
a. The failure of another approved awardee to timely

423
certify the actual receipt of a health care partner’s pledged

424
contributions.

425
b. Additional savings identified by the center from

426
previously appropriated LINE funds.

427
c. A balance in the LINE Fund due to a lack of approved

428
proposals from a type of nursing education program
, health

429
science program
,

or institution for which a specified amount of

430
LINE funds was identified in the General Appropriations Act for

431
a particular fiscal year. The center may set a date on or after

432
February 1 of

each year when the center determines that an

433
insufficient number of approved or provisionally approved

434
proposals exist from the institutions provided priority

435
consideration by the Legislature in that fiscal year. After the

436
noticed date, the center may redistribute any remaining LINE

437
funds to highly ranked Approved, Pending Available Funding

438
proposals from any type of program or institution that can

439
certify, before June 30, the receipt of its health care

440
partner’s contribution.

441
4.

“Denied for Funding” means

that the institution’s

442
proposal does not meet the full criteria or intent of this

443
section or that the institution has not timely certified the

444
receipt of an allowable health care partner’s contribution.

445 (9)(a) Each institution with an approved proposal
must

446
certify to the center in a manner prescribed under s.

447
464.0195(5) the

shall notify the Board of Governors or

448
Department of Education, as applicable, upon
receipt of the
449 health care
partner’s contribution

partner
p
rovided funds

450 identified in the
approved
proposal. The
center may

Board of

451
Governors or Department of Education, as applicable, shall

452 release grant funds, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to the
453 amount of
the contribution certified as

funds
received by the
454 institution
, including certifications made on a rolling or

455
periodic basis
.
456
(b)
If deemed to meet the long-term goals of the LINE Fund,

457
the center may award funds for an approved proposal for up to 3

458
academic years immediately following the academic year within

459
which the initial approval is granted. If the center approves a

460
multiyear award to an institution, it must notify the recipient

461
that the award amount

in subsequent years is subject to a LINE

462
Fund appropriation and the continued certification of the health

463
care partner’s contribution to match the multiyear award of

464
state funds.

465
(c)
(b)
Annually, by February 1, each institution awarded
466 grant funds in the previous fiscal year shall submit a report to
467 the
center which

Board of Governors or Department of Education,

468
as applicable, that
demonstrates the expansion as outlined in
469 the proposal and the use of funds. At minimum, the report must
470 include, by program level, the number of additional nursing
471 education
and related health science
students enrolled; if
472 scholarships were awarded using grant funds, the number of
473 students who received scholarships and the average award amount;
474 and the outcomes of students as reported by the Office of
475 Reimagining Education and Career Help pursuant to s.
476 14.36(3)(l).
477 (10)
(a) The Department of Education shall serve as the lead

478
entity for identifying and maintaining related health science

479
programs eligible for participation in the LINE Fund.

480
(b) In carrying out this subsection, the department shall

481
apply the State Board of Education’s Career and Technical

482
Education Health Science framework as the basis for determining

483
program eligibility.

484
(c) No later than October 1, 2026, the department shall

485
compile and publish an initial list of LINE-eligible related

486
health science programs. In developing the list, the department

487
shall:

488
1. Compile the current Career and Technical Education

489
Health Science pathways and programs;

490
2. Identify aligned health science programs offered

491
through:

492
a. District technical colleges and career centers; and

493
b. Florida College System institutions offering Career and

494
Technical Education-aligned health science certificates and

495
degrees;

496
3. Establish and apply alignment criteria, including

497
credential type and applicable licensure or certification

498
outcomes; and

499
4. Publish and maintain an approved list of LINE-eligible

500
health science programs for use in administering the LINE Fund.

501
(d) The department shall review and update the list

502
annually to reflect updates to the Career and Technical

503
Education Health Science framework and changes to eligible

504
program offerings.

505
(e) The Office of Reimagining Education and Career Help

506
shall provide workforce and labor market demand data, including

507
information on statewide and regional health care workforce

508
shortages, projected job growth, and occupational demand, to the

509
department to support data-informed prioritization of LINE

510
funding. The office may not determine program eligibility

The

511
Board of Governors shall adopt regulations and the State Board

512
of Education shall adopt rules to administer the fund, establish

513
dates for the submission and review of proposals, award funds,

514
and other regulations and rules necessary to implement this

515
section
.
516 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.