NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS: INCLUDE MASTER'S DEGREE STUDENTS AS ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS
Senate Bill 1371
Sponsor: Sen. Switalski
Senate Committee: Appropriations
House Committee: Appropriations
Complete to 9-20-06
A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 1371 (S-1) AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 9-14-06:
Currently, the Michigan Nursing Scholarship Act provides only for $4,000 scholarships to students enrolled in registered nurse or licensed nurse practitioner programs (undergraduate programs). This bill would amend the act to make the following changes:
· Include master's degree nursing programs as eligible for students to enroll in and receive a Nursing Scholarship.
· Include teaching in a nursing program as an area of "eligible employment" for scholarship recipients. Under the act, recipients not engaged in eligible employment following completion of the nursing program become obligated to repay the scholarship amount to the state. (Many master's degree students subsequently pursue careers as nursing faculty members.)
FISCAL IMPACT:
The enacted version of the FY 2006-07 Higher Education budget includes an increase of $250,000―from $4,000,000 to $4,250,000―in funding for the Nursing Scholarship Program. A revision to the boilerplate language associated with that funding (Section 312) specifies that master's degree students are to be eligible for scholarships, subject to the same statutory provisions as for current scholarship recipients.
The changes included in Senate Bill 1371 would make the provisions of the Nursing Scholarship Act more consistent with the new language included in the Higher Education budget act and allow the Department of Treasury to award the $250,000 in new funds for scholarships to master's degree students.
Fiscal Analyst: Kyle I. Jen
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.