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SB 297

Relating to the Department of Transportation; prescribing an effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Meek

Creates the Nursing Fellows Program at WSSU with a Trust Fund to offer forgivable loans (up to $5,000/semester) plus mentoring, expanding NC nurses and nurse-educator capacity.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · SB 297

SB 297 — “Nursing Fellows & Curric. Support Funds / Winston‑Salem State University (WSSU)”

Short title: Establishes a Nursing Fellows Program at Winston‑Salem State University and creates a trust fund to support forgivable loans and curriculum/mentoring support for nursing students.

Purpose / Intent

To recruit, prepare, and retain more nurses and nurse‑educators in North Carolina by providing targeted forgivable loan support, mentoring, and curriculum-enhancement funds focused at WSSU. The program aims to address workforce shortages, especially in regions and programs with the greatest need for practicing nurses and nursing instructors.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a new “Nursing Fellows Program” administered by the State Education Assistance Authority (the Authority) in cooperation with the Dean of WSSU’s School of Health Sciences.
  • Creates the Nursing Fellows Program Trust Fund to hold appropriations, loan repayments, and interest for program uses.
  • Authorized uses of Trust Fund monies:
    • Forgivable loans to eligible students (BSN and, where applicable, MS in Nursing Education).
    • Program administrative costs, recruitment, and loan recovery.
    • Mentoring and coaching supports and extracurricular enhancement activities.
  • Annual transfers and administrative set‑asides:
    • Authority must transfer 6% of available Trust Fund funds at the start of each fiscal year to WSSU for (a) program admin, (b) extracurricular enhancements, and (c) mentoring (mentoring support capped at $2,200 per program recipient).
    • Authority may use up to 4% of funds appropriated each fiscal year for its own administrative costs.
  • Forgivable loan mechanics:
    • Loans are available per academic term, up to $5,000 per semester or $2,500 per summer session.
    • Loans may be used for tuition, fees, books, and related educational expenses.
    • Initial awards focus on students enrolled in BSN programs; recipients who pursue MS in Nursing Education (to become instructors) may receive additional loan payments if they enroll within two years of BSN graduation.
    • The bill provides term limits for loan payments (e.g., up to five semesters for students pursuing qualifying nurse roles).
  • Eligibility and selection:
    • Definitions provided for Eligible Nurse, Qualifying Nurse, and Qualifying Nurse Instructor.
    • The Dean (with the Authority) sets rigorous selection criteria emphasizing GPA, assessment performance, relevant experience, communication skills, and demonstrated commitment to serving in North Carolina.
  • Program administration:
    • The Dean runs recruitment, selection, and coordination; WSSU provides office/clerical support.
    • Recruitment is to target regions with the greatest need for nurses and nurse instructors.

Who is affected

  • Primary: WSSU nursing students (BSN and MS in Nursing Education) and prospective nurse‑educators.
  • Secondary: qualifying nursing programs (community colleges, UNC constituent institutions, eligible private postsecondary institutions) that will receive better‑prepared nurses/instructors in the pipeline.
  • State entities: State Education Assistance Authority (program administration) and WSSU (program host).

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Funding depends on appropriations placed into the Nursing Fellows Program Trust Fund; the bill specifies how monies in the Trust Fund may be used and small percentage set‑asides for administration and mentoring.
  • The bill text provided does not include a specific statewide appropriation amount; program scale will depend on legislative funding.
  • Procedural status (from provided materials): bill text drafted and submitted in 2025; sponsors include Senators Lowe, Blue, and Adcock; the Authority and WSSU are assigned administrative roles.

Expected impact

  • Intended to increase the supply of practicing nurses and to train nurse‑educators (helping expand nursing education capacity across the State).
  • Costs to the State depend on appropriations to the Trust Fund; administrative percentages (6% to WSSU; up to 4% to Authority) modestly allocate program overhead. Actual fiscal impact will vary with program size and appropriation levels.

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

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