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HB 2361

Abolishing the nursing scholarship program and creating the Kansas healthcare service scholarship program to include part-time students and expand the list of eligible programs.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Abolishes the Nursing Service Scholarship Program and creates the Kansas Healthcare Service Scholarship Program to fund broader health-related fields, including part-time students.

Died in Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2361

Summary — HB 2361 (2025)

A bill to abolish the existing Nursing Service Scholarship Program and replace it with a broader Kansas Healthcare Service Scholarship Program that (1) expands the list of eligible programs to include allied health and other health science fields and (2) makes part‑time students eligible.

Purpose / Intent

  • Broaden and modernize the state scholarship program that supports workforce pipelines into health care by (a) renaming and repurposing the Nursing Service Scholarship Program as the Kansas Healthcare Service Scholarship Program and (b) expanding eligibility to more healthcare occupations and to part‑time students.
  • Preserve statutory references and funding mechanisms by redesignating the Nursing Service Scholarship Fund as the Kansas Healthcare Service Scholarship Fund.

Key provisions

  • Abolishes the Nursing Service Scholarship Program created under K.S.A. 74‑3291 et seq., and reestablishes it as the Kansas Healthcare Service Scholarship Program (textual redesignation).
  • Expands the definition of eligible programs to include:
    • Two‑year associate degrees, certificates, stand‑alone career & technical programs, baccalaureate and graduate programs that are “related to healthcare” in clinical or non‑clinical occupations; and
    • Allied health, health information, behavioral health, and other health science programs (the bill lists a range of professions as examples, e.g., LPN, RN (AD/BS), physician assistant, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, counselors, social workers, dietetics/nutrition, speech‑language pathology, audiology, athletic trainers, health information technology, etc.).
  • Explicitly makes part‑time students eligible: a “part‑time student” is defined as enrolled for six credit hours or more in a semester (or equivalent).
  • Designates sponsors and certain rural employer categories for program purposes (e.g., adult care homes, home health agencies, local health departments, mental health/treatment facilities, state agencies employing licensed nurses), including references to Rural Opportunity Zone sponsors.
  • Transfers and renames the existing Nursing Service Scholarship Fund to the Kansas Healthcare Service Scholarship Fund; the bill also amends and repeals related statutory sections (K.S.A. 74‑3291 and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 74‑3292–74‑3298).

Administration and fiscal impact

  • The Kansas Board of Regents would administer the program. Expanding eligibility (part‑time students and allied health programs) increases the potential applicant pool.
  • Fiscal Note (Kansas Division of the Budget, 3/17/2025): Board of Regents estimates additional State General Fund expenditures for one additional administrative FTE of $80,000 in FY 2026 (about $72,000 wages + $8,000 operating) and $82,000 in FY 2027.
  • The Board indicates scholarship award expenditures would likely increase, but cannot estimate the total additional award cost because the number of new qualifying applicants is unknown. The Board may require additional scholarship funding or else be unable to award scholarships to all qualifying applicants.
  • Any required transfers from the State General Fund to fund the renamed scholarship program are contemplated in the bill text (summary language indicates transfers), but specific appropriation amounts are not specified in the excerpt.

Who is affected

  • Prospective and current postsecondary students enrolled in eligible health‑related programs in Kansas, including part‑time students (≥6 credits).
  • Postsecondary institutions in Kansas that offer eligible health programs (community/technical colleges, state universities, Washburn Institute of Technology, qualifying private not‑for‑profit institutions).
  • Employers and sponsor organizations in rural zones that may host recipients to satisfy any service obligations.
  • The Kansas Board of Regents (administration workload and potential funding decisions).

Procedural status / timeline (as provided)

  • Introduced to the Kansas Legislature: early February 2025 (filed Feb 3 / requested Feb 7 by Rep. W. Carpenter on behalf of the Kansas Hospital Association).
  • Referred to House Committee on Health and Human Services (current status provided).
  • Fiscal Note prepared March 17, 2025.

Notes / considerations

  • The bill largely repurposes and expands an existing statutory scheme; many program details (award amounts, recipient service‑obligation terms, prioritization rules) appear to remain governed by the existing statute as amended.
  • Because the expanded eligibility could substantially increase applicants, the program’s budget and award rules will determine whether current fund levels can serve all new applicants or if appropriations will need to rise.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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