The bill amends section 464.019 of the Florida Statutes, which regulates nursing education programs, by introducing revised application requirements that include the legal name of the program director and the establishment of evaluation and standardized admission criteria. It grants the Board of Nursing the authority to deny applications and revoke approvals for programs that have faced adverse actions from other regulatory jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill mandates that approved programs submit annual reports on compliance with educational standards and graduate passage rates, with specific consequences for failure to meet these requirements. Stricter accountability measures are also introduced, requiring remediation plans for programs with graduate passage rates below established benchmarks and documentation of individualized academic support for students needing assistance.

Moreover, the bill modifies the language regarding the recalculation of passage rates for programs receiving transferring students, changing "shall" to "must" to emphasize the board's obligation. It allows authorized agents of the department to conduct onsite evaluations or inspections to ensure compliance, establishing that failure to permit such evaluations constitutes a legal violation. The bill also alters the board's rulemaking authority, enabling it to adopt rules for enforcing specific subsections related to program applications and accreditation documentation, while removing provisions for extensions of accreditation deadlines based on certain criteria. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.