PRINTER'S NO. 2828
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2168
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY KHAN, KOSIEROWSKI, TAKAC, MAYES, PASHINSKI,
FLEMING, GIRAL, WAXMAN, JOZWIAK, HOWARD, PROBST, KAZEEM,
HOHENSTEIN, SCHLOSSBERG, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, VENKAT, PARKER,
BOYD, HANBIDGE, CIRESI, SANCHEZ, SHUSTERMAN, D. WILLIAMS,
WARREN, DELLOSO, GREEN, BOROWSKI, WEBSTER, KENYATTA, KINSEY,
STEELE, CONKLIN, HILL-EVANS, GUENST AND POWELL,
MARCH 28, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, MARCH 28, 2024
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," establishing the New Nursing Faculty
Grant Program; providing for duties of the Pennsylvania
Higher Education Assistance Agency; and making an
appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE XXII-C
NEW NURSING FACULTY GRANT PROGRAM
Section 2201-C. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Accredited medical college." As follows:
(1) An accredited medical college as defined in section
2 of the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as
the Medical Practice Act of 1985.
(2) An osteopathic medical college as defined in section
2 of the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), known as
the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act.
(3) An institution of higher education that meets the
requirements under section 6.1 of the act of May 22, 1951
(P.L.317, No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law.
(4) A program at an institution of higher education that
meets the requirements under 49 Pa. Code § 18.131 (relating
to recognized educational programs/standards).
(5) A program at an institution of higher education that
meets the requirements under 49 Pa. Code § 25.151 (relating
to certification of physician assistant educational
programs).
(6) An institution of higher education that meets the
requirements under section 3(c) of the act of May 1, 1933
(P.L.216, No.76), known as The Dental Law.
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
"Application." An application for a grant under the program.
"Eligible individual." An individual who meets the
eligibility criteria specified under section 2203-C(c).
"Full-time." A faculty course load of 12 or more academic
credits in each of two semesters in an academic year of an
accredited medical college.
"Grant." A grant under the program.
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"Nursing faculty member." An individual employed by an
accredited medical college who is responsible for teaching
nursing curriculum on-site. The term does not include an
individual who teaches nursing curriculum entirely online.
"Program." The New Nursing Faculty Grant Program established
under section 2202-C.
Section 2202-C. New Nursing Faculty Grant Program.
The agency shall establish and administer the New Nursing
Faculty Grant Program as specified under this article to provide
grants to individuals who are nominated by an accredited medical
college under section 2203-C(a) and satisfy the eligibility
requirements under section 2203-C(c).
Section 2203-C. Applications and eligibility for grants.
(a) Applications.--No later than 120 days after the
effective date of this subsection, the agency shall develop and
make available an application form on the agency's publicly
accessible Internet website. To apply for a grant, the dean or
director of nursing of an accredited medical college shall
submit an application to the agency. The application shall
include, at a minimum, the following information:
(1) The name and current curriculum vitae of each
nursing faculty member who is nominated for a grant by the
accredited medical college.
(2) A v erification of the date of hire or a statement
certifying intention to hire each nursing faculty member.
(3) An a nticipated title and discipline of employment
for each nursing faculty member.
(4) A d escription of the job functions to be performed
by each nursing faculty member.
(5) A narrative that substantiates that each nominated
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nursing faculty member will increase the enrollment capacity
of the accredited medical college and that each employment
position was historically difficult to fill.
(b) Restrictions.--The number of nominations made by an
accredited medical college in an application in accordance with
subsection (a) shall be unlimited, but the accredited medical
college shall submit each nomination in the application in
priority order.
(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant, an individual
shall meet all of the following criteria:
(1) Be a resident of this Commonwealth.
(2) Be employed as or hold a pending offer to become a
full-time nursing faculty member at an accredited medical
college.
(3) Has been employed as a full-time nursing faculty
member for a period of no more than three years.
(4) Has been nominated by an accredited medical college
in an application in accordance with subsection (a).
(d) Selection method.--The agency shall establish a
selection panel to review each application submitted to the
agency. The selection panel shall give priority to nursing
faculty positions that have been historically difficult to fill
and the priority order specified in an application. The agency
shall award grants based on the number of nominations under
subsection (a) and the availability of funding for the grants.
Section 2204-C. Amount and use of grants.
(a) Amount .--The agency may award a grant in an amount of
$10,000 to an eligible individual.
(b) Use.--An eligible individual may use a grant for the
following purposes:
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(1) Professional expenses.
(2) Loan repayment.
(3) Salary supplements for work as a nursing faculty
member.
(c) Renewal.--The agency may renew a grant award for up to
four additional years if an eligible individual remains in
continuous employment as a nursing faculty member at the
accredited medical college from which the eligible individual
was nominated in accordance with subsection (a), subject to the
availability of grant funding. The dean or director of nursing
of an accredited medical college shall submit an application to
the agency for an eligible individual seeking a grant award
renewal in accordance with section 2203-C(a). The agency may not
renew a grant award if an eligible individual transfers to
another accredited medical college or institution of higher
education, resigns or does not remain a full-time nursing
faculty member.
(d) Limitations.--The agency shall award grants from money
appropriated for the program. The agency shall give first
priority for the awarding of grants to applications for renewals
of grant awards under subsection (c). An eligible individual may
not transfer a grant to another accredited medical college or
institution of higher education.
Section 2205-C. Annual report.
The agency shall annually publish a report on the program on
the agency's publicly accessible Internet website. The agency
shall include the following information in the report:
(1) The number of eligible individuals receiving grants.
(2) Demographic and income statistics of each eligible
individual receiving a grant.
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(3) Each accredited medical college that applied for a
grant.
(4) Outcome measures, including the following:
(i) The number of grant recipients currently
employed as nursing faculty members after three years.
(ii) The number of grant recipients currently
employed as nursing faculty members after five years.
(iii) Any other measures determined by the agency.
Section 2206-C. Grants not taxable income.
A grant received by an eligible individual shall not be
considered taxable income for purposes of Article III of the act
of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of
1971.
Section 2207-C. Administrative costs.
From money appropriated to the agency for the program, the
agency may retain a reasonable amount necessary to pay for
direct costs to implement the program, not to exceed 5%. The
agency shall include an estimate of costs to administer the
program within the agency's annual submissions under section 610
of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The
Administrative Code of 1929.
Section 2208-C. Regulations and guidelines.
The agency shall promulgate regulations and adopt guidelines
and procedures necessary to implement this article.
Section 2. The sum of $2,300,000 is appropriated from the
General Fund to the agency for fiscal year 2023-2024 for the
purposes of the addition of Article XXII-C of the act.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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