Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB5059

Amends the Nursing Education Scholarship Law. Requires the Department of Public Health to provide nurse educator scholarships, to be awarded for a period of up to 3 years. Provides that within 12 months after graduation from a graduate degree in nursing program for nurse educators, a scholarship recipient shall begin meeting a nurse educator employment obligation consisting of employment in this State as a nurse educator for at least 2 years for each year of scholarship assistance received. Provides that any person who fails to fulfill the nurse educator employment obligation shall pay to the Department an amount equal to the amount of scholarship funds received per year for each unfulfilled year of the nurse educator employment obligation, together with interest at 7% per year on the unpaid balance. Requires the Department to maintain a database of all available nurse educator positions in this State. Requires the Department to provide grants to approved institutions that have graduate degree programs to expand their nurse educator faculty, subject to appropriation. Provides that the Department shall award up to $100,000 per institution to assist in start-up costs and salaries for faculty. Effective immediately.

Provides that there is no rulemaking authority under the amendatory Act, but that the Governor may suggest rules by filing them with the General Assembly and requesting that the General Assembly authorize such rulemaking by law, enact the suggested rules into law, or take other appropriate action in the General Assembly's discretion. With respect to nurse educator scholarships, removes the requirement that an applicant have at least 7 years of experience as a nurse. Removes the Section concerning nurse educator grants for approved institutions. Amends the Nurse Practice Act to provide that for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 and for each fiscal year thereafter, $2,000,000 (instead of $1,200,000) of the moneys deposited in the Nursing Dedicated and Professional Fund each year shall be set aside and appropriated for nursing scholarships.

Provides that the nurse educator scholarships are subject to appropriation. Removes the provision that provides that there is no rulemaking authority under the amendatory Act, but that the Governor may suggest rules by filing them with the General Assembly and requesting that the General Assembly authorize such rulemaking by law, enact the suggested rules into law, or take other appropriate action in the General Assembly's discretion. Amends the Academic Degree Act. Removes the provision that provides that the Act does not apply to any school or educational institution regulated or approved under the Nurse Practice Act.

×