GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 318*

Short Title:  Funds for Nursing Programs.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Nesbitt, Bowen, Jack Hunt, Woodard; Albertson, Anderson, Balmer, Barbee, Barnes, Beall, Beard, Blue, Bowman, Brown, Buchanan, Chapin, Church, Colton, N. Crawford, Cromer, Culp, Cunningham, Dawkins, Diamont, Easterling, Esposito, B. Ethridge, Fitch, Fletcher, Grady, Greenwood, Grimmer, Hackney, Hall, Holt, Judy Hunt, R. Hunter, Hurley, Isenhower, James, Jones, Kennedy, Kimsey, Ligon, Lilley, Lineberry, Locks, Mercer, Michaux, Miller, Perdue, Privette, Ramsey, Redwine, Rogers, Stamey, Stewart, Tart, R. Thompson, S. Thompson, Warner, Watkins, Wicker, P. Wilson, Wiser, and Wood.
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Referred to:  Education.
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February 22, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Recruitment. (a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, for the Area Health Education Centers for use in developing more varied clinical training sites for nursing students.  These funds shall be allocated among the schools of nursing within the community colleges and the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina.
(b)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, for the Area Health Education Centers to provide information and training programs which help retain new nursing graduates for employers of nurses.
(c)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to provide materials and training about health careers for middle-school career exploration teachers.
(d)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Community Colleges the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used as supplemental funding for nursing education programs.  All institutions receiving this funding shall continue to fund their nursing programs from their regular curriculum per student funding at a level equal to or above the level provided during the 1988-89 fiscal year. Any increases in regular curriculum per student funding shall also provide proportional increases in nursing programs.  These directives are given to guarantee that the supplemental funds provide additional resources for nursing programs.
(e)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Foundation for Nursing, Inc., the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used for covering the costs of promoting nursing as a profession.  These funds may not become a part of the continuation budget.
(f)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, to be used for awarding competitive grants to the schools of nursing of The University of North Carolina and of the community colleges for innovative efforts to recruit various groups of students into the nursing schools. The Board of Governors shall create an advisory group composed of the Deans of the schools of nursing from The University of North Carolina and the community college system, selected administrators and officers of The University of North Carolina and the community college system, and representatives of the nursing profession.  The advisory group shall set criteria for grant awards and shall make recommendations for the selection of grant recipients based on grant applications received.  Each grant recipient shall submit an evaluation of its efforts to the Legislative Commission on Nursing, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, and the Department of Community Colleges.
(g)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to The University of North Carolina Board of Governors, the sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used to continue and to expand its pilot efforts in nursing recruitment.
(h)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, for the Area Health Education Centers Program for the purpose of increasing the availability of refresher courses for nurses.  The Area Health Education Centers Program may use the funds as incentives to nursing schools which provide courses to nurses who are subsequently relicensed by the North Carolina Board of Nursing or who reenter the practice of nursing.
Sec. 2.  Retention.  (a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used for the awarding of competitive grants to employers of nurses for developing innovative pilot efforts to retain nurses in patient care. The Board of Governors shall create an advisory group composed of representatives of the following: the North Carolina Hospital Association, the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, the North Carolina Association for Home Care, private industry, and the nursing profession. The advisory group shall set criteria for the solicitation of grant proposals and for the award of grant funds, and shall make recommendations for the selection of grant recipients based on grant applications received. All grants shall require that an evaluation of each grant recipient's efforts be conducted and submitted to the Legislative Commission on Nursing within three years of receipt of grant funds, and that the results of the evaluation be made available for publication.  Funds which are unspent at the end of the fiscal year may not revert to the General Fund but shall remain available for the purposes stated herein.
(b)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($225,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of three hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($335,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used to continue and to expand pilot efforts to retain nurses in the nursing profession.
(c)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Legislative Commission on Nursing the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, to be used to plan for a Center for Excellence in Nursing.  The Legislative Commission on Nursing may contract with other groups for this planning effort.  In contracting with other groups for the planning effort, the Legislative Commission on Nursing shall comply with the provisions of G.S. 120-32.02. 
(d)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, for the Area Health Education Centers Program to conduct two pilot institute programs for nurses involved in direct patient care.  The Director of the Area Health Education Centers Program shall provide an evaluation of the pilot institutes to the Legislative Commission on Nursing not later than May 1, 1990.  The evaluation shall include the institutes' effect on retaining nurses in the nursing profession.
Sec. 3.  Education.  (a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of two hundred forty thousand dollars ($240,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, for the Area Health Education Centers Program to use for targeting recruitment efforts for nursing schools, for improvement of on-campus nursing programs for working registered nurses, and for the expansion of off-campus nursing degree programs.  The Area Health Education Centers Program shall report on the use of these funds to the General Assembly and the Legislative Commission on Nursing not later than March 1, 1990.
(b)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used for funding need-based scholarship loans for nursing students.  Of the funds appropriated to the Board of Governors, twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) shall be allocated for each fiscal year to the State Education Assistance Authority for allocation to private colleges in North Carolina which have nursing programs. These funds shall be administered in accordance with Article 9C of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.
(c)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Community Colleges the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used for funding need-based scholarship loans for nursing students.  These funds shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of Article 9C of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.
Sec. 4.  Salary.  (a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used for funding demonstration grants for employers of nurses. The demonstration grants shall be competitive and shall be designed to experiment with salary programs for nurses within professional practice models.  These funds may not be used to pay nursing salaries.  The Board of Governors shall create an advisory group composed of representatives of the following: the North Carolina Hospital Association, the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, the North Carolina Association for Home Care, private industry, and the nursing profession.  The advisory group shall set criteria for grant awards, and shall make recommendations for the selection of grant recipients based on grant applications received. Grant criteria shall include the requirement that there be an evaluation and reporting of the results of the grant project to the Legislative Commission on Nursing, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Hospital Association, and the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association.
(b)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and the sum of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year, to be used to fund demonstration grants for employers of nurses.  The grants shall be competitive and shall be designed to stimulate innovative approaches to providing child care and flexible fringe benefit plans for nurses.  These funds may not be used to pay nursing salaries.  The Board of Governors shall create an advisory group composed of representatives of the following: the North Carolina Hospital Association, the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, the North Carolina Association for Home Care, private industry, and the nursing profession. The advisory group shall set criteria for the award of grants and shall make recommendations for the selection of grant recipients based on grant applications received. Grant criteria shall include the requirement that there be an evaluation and reporting of the results of the grant project to the Legislative Commission on Nursing, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Hospital Association, and the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association.
(c)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year, to be used to provide competitive demonstration grants to health care facilities for the improvement of nursing support services and productivity efforts, which may include computerization efforts.  The Board of Governors shall create an advisory group, the membership of which shall include representatives of the following: the North Carolina Hospital Association, the North Carolina Health Facilities Association, the North Carolina Association for Home Care, private industry, and the nursing profession. The advisory group shall set criteria for the award of grants, including the potential for the proposed project's replication at other facilities, and shall make recommendations for the selection of grant recipients based on grant applications received.  Awards criteria shall include the requirement that an evaluation report on the results of the project be conducted and submitted to the Legislative Commission on Nursing, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, and other entities designated by the Board of Governors.  Funds which are unspent at the end of each fiscal year may not revert to the General Fund but shall remain available for the purposes designated herein.
(d)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year to be used for incentive planning grants for the development of integrated pay, career advancement, and education plans for nurses. The Board of Governors shall create an advisory group composed of representatives of the following: the North Carolina Hospital Association, the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, the North Carolina Association for Home Care, private industry, and the nursing profession. The advisory group shall set criteria for grant awards and shall make recommendations for the selection of grant recipients based on grant applications received.  Grant awards shall be designed to stimulate plans which are applicable to various types and sizes of health care institutions, and shall require that evaluations of the project be conducted and reported to the Legislative Commission on Nursing and other entities designated by the Board of Governors.
Sec. 5. This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.