This bill establishes the Florida Center for Nursing within the University of South Florida, which will oversee the administration of the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund. The center is responsible for promoting LINE funding availability, publishing guidelines for its administration, and providing technical assistance to eligible institutions. The bill revises definitions related to the center and the LINE Fund, updates participation requirements, and shifts the responsibility for reviewing and evaluating proposals from the Board of Governors to the center. Additionally, institutions awarded grant funds are now required to submit reports to the center instead of the Board of Governors.

The legislation also amends provisions regarding tuition and fees for state universities, allowing university boards of trustees to set out-of-state fees for nonresident students while ensuring that the total tuition and fees cover the full instructional cost. It removes certain limitations on fee increases and waives out-of-pocket expenses for students in specific programs under certain conditions. Overall, the bill aims to address the nursing shortage in Florida by enhancing nursing education, incentivizing collaboration between nursing programs and healthcare partners, and ensuring accountability in the use of state resources through the establishment of a matching system for contributions to the LINE Fund. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 2512 Filed: 464.0195