House Bill No. 7098, also known as Public Act No. 25-88, establishes provisions for tuition refunds and stipends for former students of the practical nurse education program at Stone Academy, which operated from November 1, 2021, to February 28, 2023. The bill mandates that the Office of Higher Education pay a stipend to graduates who have passed the licensure examination, with the total amount not exceeding $150,000. Additionally, it allows for tuition refunds to applicants who were enrolled but did not graduate, provided they meet specific criteria, including not having their coursework accepted as transfer credits and not having previously received a refund.

The bill includes several key insertions and deletions to current law. Notably, it removes the requirement that the course or unit of instruction must comply with applicable statutes and regulations, instead stipulating that the course must not have been accepted at another practical nurse education program. New eligibility criteria for refunds include not having participated in a teach-out or a proctored comprehensive predictor examination, and applicants must apply for refunds by June 30, 2026. Furthermore, the state is authorized to take legal action against the private career school to recover costs associated with the stipends and refunds paid from the private career school student protection account.