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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget2025-03-18

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill creates the Nursing Fellows Program at Winston-Salem State University to provide forgivable loans to nursing students pursuing Bachelor of Science or Master of Science degrees in Nursing Education. The loans can be forgiven if graduates work as nurses or nursing instructors in North Carolina, with $1.4 million in initial funding plus $100,000 for curriculum support services.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this program addresses North Carolina's nursing shortage by incentivizing qualified graduates to work in the state as nurses and instructors.
• •The forgivable loan structure rewards service to the state while the mentoring and support services help ensure student success, potentially increasing graduation rates and the quality of nursing education across North Carolina.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may question whether $1.4 million is efficiently spent on a single university program rather than broader workforce solutions, and whether forgivable loans are the most effective way to address nursing shortages compared to other incentives.
• •There are also concerns about whether graduates who receive loan forgiveness might leave the state after their service obligation ends, and whether the program's benefits justify the state investment.