The Nursing Shortage Assistance Program Act establishes a program within the Department of Labor and Industry aimed at addressing the nursing shortage in Pennsylvania. The program will provide grants to qualified nursing servicers to assist nursing students with securing post-graduation employment and repaying student loans incurred while obtaining nursing degrees from accredited educational institutions in the state. The act defines key terms such as "applicant," "partner hospital," and "qualified nursing servicer," and outlines the application process for grants, including the necessary information that must be submitted by applicants.
Additionally, the act imposes restrictions on the use of grant funds, ensuring that they are not allocated for administrative costs and that individual nurses do not receive more than $10,000 per year or $30,000 in total for loan repayment assistance. The Department of Labor and Industry is tasked with developing guidelines for the program and will report annually to the General Assembly on the effectiveness of the grants, including details on partner hospitals and the number of nurses benefiting from the program. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.