The bill amends Section 1009.8962 of the Florida Statutes to enhance the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund, which aims to address the nursing shortage in the state by promoting collaboration between nursing education programs and health care partners. Key revisions include the authorization of both monetary and nonmonetary contributions from health care partners, with a stipulation that monetary contributions will receive priority for matching funds. The definition of a health care partner is updated to include licensed providers in the state, and the criteria for proposal submissions and evaluations by the Board of Governors and the Department of Education are revised to ensure that contributions directly support the goals of the LINE Fund.

Additionally, the bill specifies allowable nonmonetary contributions, such as the value of donated use of health care partner employees as instructors or preceptors, and the value of donated space or equipment. It prohibits proposals from being solely based on nonmonetary contributions and requires that the fair market value of such contributions be quantified. The bill also allows for multiyear awards under certain conditions and mandates that institutions report annually on the outcomes of their funded programs. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 1246 e1: 1009.8962
S 1246 er: 1009.8962