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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2025-03-17

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill establishes a Nursing Fellows Program at Winston-Salem State University that provides forgivable loans to nursing students pursuing Bachelor of Science or Master of Science degrees in nursing education. The bill appropriates $1.4 million for the program and an additional $100,000 for curriculum support services at WSSU.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this program addresses North Carolina's nursing shortage by recruiting and retaining qualified nurses and nursing instructors in the state.
• •The forgivable loan structure incentivizes graduates to work in North Carolina by canceling one-third of their loan debt for each year they work as nurses or nursing instructors, reducing the financial burden on graduates and helping fill critical healthcare workforce gaps.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may question whether directing significant state funds ($1.5 million total) to a single institution is the most efficient use of taxpayer money for addressing statewide nursing shortages.
• •Some may also be concerned that the program benefits only WSSU graduates and may not address the full scope of nursing education needs across North Carolina's many community colleges and other universities that also train nurses.