The bill CS/HB 1427 amends section 464.019 of the Florida Statutes, which regulates nursing education programs, by introducing stricter application requirements and accountability measures. Educational institutions must now provide detailed information about their program directors and any disciplinary actions taken against them in other jurisdictions. The Board of Nursing is empowered to deny applications based on adverse actions from other regulatory bodies and can revoke program approvals as necessary. New annual reporting requirements for program directors include documentation of student performance and compliance with established standards, which now include maintaining specific graduate passage rates and implementing remediation plans for programs that fall short.

Additionally, the bill eliminates provisions that previously allowed for the extension of probationary status for underperforming programs, thereby enhancing accountability. Programs placed on probation must submit a written remediation plan and appear before the board within six months. If a program's graduate passage rate is below 30%, it is required to reimburse tuition for students who do not pass the licensing examination on their first attempt. The bill also mandates that nursing education programs disclose their probationary status to students and provide remediation at no extra cost. The Florida Center for Nursing is tasked with conducting annual assessments of program compliance, focusing on metrics such as retention and passage rates, to ensure high standards in nursing education across the state.

Statutes affected:
H 1427 Filed: 202.18, 212.20, 215.971, 218.67, 288.007, 288.019, 288.065, 319.32, 339.0801, 395.6061, 420.9073, 420.9075, 1013.62, 1013.64, 163.3187, 212.205, 257.191, 257.193, 265.283, 443.191, 571.26, 571.265
H 1427 c1: 395.6061, 409.906, 458.347, 459.022, 466.001, 466.004, 466.006, 466.009, 466.011, 466.016, 466.017, 466.018, 466.026, 921.0022
H 1427 e1: 395.6061, 409.906, 458.347, 459.022, 466.001, 466.004, 466.006, 466.009, 466.011, 466.016, 466.017, 466.018, 466.026