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HB 2248

Mental health; rural mental health and treatment diversion pilot programs; purpose; Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; contracts; promulgation of rules; effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Aaron Reinhardt and 1 co-sponsor

Creates the Kansas Nursing Initiative Grant Program to fund nursing education, including equipment, faculty, and student supports, with a dollar-for-dollar non-state match.

Recommendation to the full committee; Do Pass Appropriations and Budget Health Subcommittee
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Bill Summary · HB 2248

Summary — HB 2248 (Kansas Nursing Initiative Grant Program)

Purpose

HB 2248 would create the Kansas Nursing Initiative Grant Program to provide need‑based or competitive grants to postsecondary institutions to support expansion and delivery of nursing education. The program is intended to address nursing workforce needs by supporting faculty, instructional equipment, and student success services.

Key provisions

  • Establishes the Kansas Nursing Initiative Grant Program, administered by the Kansas State Board of Regents.
  • Grants are subject to legislative appropriation; the Board of Regents sets application procedures, award criteria, amounts and number of grants within available funds.
  • Grant uses (introduced and expanded in committee amendments) include:
    • Up to $100,000 per institution for non‑consumable laboratory supplies and equipment (increase from prior $30,000 cap noted by Board).
    • Salaries for instructors, including adjunct clinical instructors (including partial funding for adjuncts employed by healthcare facilities).
    • Funding for additional faculty and professional development for instructors.
    • Student support services (e.g., NCLEX test prep, tutoring, practice testing, study skills).
    • Support that affects student ability to attend/complete programs (e.g., childcare).
  • Committee amendment requires recipient institutions to provide a dollar‑for‑dollar match of non‑state funds to be eligible for awards (i.e., each dollar of state grant requires one dollar of non‑state match).
  • Reporting: institutions awarded grants must provide statistical and financial information to the Board upon request.

Eligibility

  • Introduced version: eligible institutions were defined as postsecondary institutions with nationally accredited nursing programs, approved by the Kansas Board of Nursing, and with NCLEX pass rates at or above the most recent three‑year national average.
  • Committee actions revised the statutory definition of “postsecondary educational institution” to require a physical presence in Kansas and national accreditation; the committee substitute broadened allowable uses and added the match requirement. (Readers should consult the latest enrolled/amended text for current eligibility language.)

Fiscal impact

  • Division of the Budget fiscal note (Feb 13, 2025) estimates additional State General Fund expenditures of $2,730,000 in FY 2026 and $2,730,000 in FY 2027 reflecting the increase in the per‑institution non‑consumable equipment cap from $30,000 to $100,000 (an additional $70,000 × 39 qualifying institutions).
  • The Committee report notes the Kansas Nursing Initiative has previously operated via a budget proviso; HB 2007 included a $3.8 million SGF appropriation for FY 2026 for the initiative.

Who is affected

  • Postsecondary institutions in Kansas that operate nursing programs (public and not‑for‑profit private institutions meeting statutory accreditation/approval requirements).
  • Nursing students (through enhanced supports such as tutoring, NCLEX prep, childcare).
  • Nursing faculty and adjunct clinical instructors (through salary/faculty funding and professional development).
  • Kansas Board of Regents (program administration) and Kansas Board of Nursing (program approval/oversight role for nursing programs).

Procedural status / timeline highlights

  • Introduced: January 30, 2025.
  • Fiscal note issued: February 13, 2025.
  • House Committee on Higher Education Budget amended the bill (including adding the match requirement and expanding allowable uses).
  • Administrative action listed: Withdrawn from Committee on Appropriations; rereferred to Committee on Higher Education Budget (per bill header). Consult the legislative record for subsequent committee votes and final disposition.

Notes

  • Committee amendments materially change fiscal and eligibility elements from the original introduced version (notably adding a dollar‑for‑dollar match and expanding allowable grant uses). Review the most recent committee substitute or engrossed bill text for precise operative language and current eligibility rules.

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

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