The bill amends section 464.019 of the Florida Statutes, which regulates nursing education programs, by introducing new application requirements that mandate the disclosure of the legal name of the nursing education program director and any disciplinary actions against the applicant in other jurisdictions. It grants the Board of Nursing the authority to deny applications if a program's authority has been revoked by another regulatory body. Additionally, program directors are required to submit annual reports on compliance with program standards, including graduate passage rates, and face potential termination of program approval for failing to meet these standards. The bill also revises remediation procedures for programs with inadequate passage rates, necessitating a written remediation plan and the program director's appearance before the board.

Moreover, the bill CS/HB 121 2026 introduces further amendments, such as requiring program directors to notify the board if annual reports are late and mandating that nursing programs on probation disclose their status to students while providing remediation at no extra cost for those who fail exit examinations. Programs with a graduate passage rate below 30% must reimburse tuition for first-time test takers who fail the licensing exam. The bill enhances the board's authority for onsite evaluations and inspections and requires the Florida Center for Nursing to conduct annual assessments of nursing programs. It also modifies criteria for extending accreditation deadlines, focusing on compliance with new requirements rather than previous passage and retention rates. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.