Introduced Version
SENATE BILL No. 453
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 21-12-18.
Synopsis: Scholarship for minority students in health care. Establishes
the scholarship for minority students pursuing health care careers
(scholarship) and the minority students pursuing health care careers
fund (fund) for the purpose of providing scholarships to minority
individuals who are working in an entry-level health care position
involving direct patient care and wish to pursue a career as a licensed
nurse in Indiana. Provides that the commission for higher education
(commission) administers the scholarship program and the fund.
Prescribes qualifications necessary to: (1) receive an initial scholarship;
and (2) qualify for renewal of the scholarship. Requires a scholarship
recipient to enter into a written agreement with the commission to: (1)
use the scholarship solely to fund a course of study resulting in an
associate's degree or certificate that enables the individual to practice
as a licensed nurse in Indiana; (2) apply for a position as a licensed
nurse in Indiana following the individual's licensure as a nurse; and (3)
if hired, practice as a licensed nurse in Indiana for at least three years.
Requires a scholarship recipient to repay the scholarship if the
scholarship recipient fails to: (1) complete the scholarship recipient's
program of study; or (2) complete the terms of the scholarship
recipient's agreement with the commission. Provides that the amount
of the scholarship awarded for an academic year is the lesser of: (1) the
balance of the scholarship recipient's total cost of attendance for the
academic year after the application of any other financial assistance for
which the scholarship recipient qualifies; or (2) $4,000. Appropriates
annually to the fund from the state general fund an amount sufficient
to carry out the purposes of the scholarship program. Requires the
commission to report to the general assembly not later than December
1, 2027, regarding the effect of the scholarship program.
Effective: July 1, 2023.
Breaux
January 19, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Provider
Services.
2023 IN 453—LS 7351/DI 119 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 123rd General Assembly (2023)
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SENATE BILL No. 453
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
higher education and to make an appropriation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 21-12-18 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2023]:
4 Chapter 18. Scholarship for Minority Students Pursuing Health
5 Care Careers
6 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the minority
7 students pursuing health care careers fund established by section
8 4 of this chapter.
9 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "minority" has the meaning set
10 forth in IC 21-13-1-6.
11 Sec. 3. (a) The scholarship for minority students pursuing health
12 care careers is established.
13 (b) The commission shall administer the scholarship program
14 under this chapter, including:
15 (1) receiving and evaluating applications received under
16 section 5 of this chapter; and
17 (2) awarding scholarships from the fund to applicants who
2023 IN 453—LS 7351/DI 119 2
1 meet the qualifications established under this chapter.
2 Sec. 4. (a) The minority students pursuing health care careers
3 fund is established for the purpose of providing scholarships under
4 this chapter.
5 (b) The fund consists of the following:
6 (1) Appropriations made by the general assembly.
7 (2) Gifts, grants, devises, or bequests made to the commission
8 to achieve the purposes of the fund.
9 (c) The commission shall administer the fund.
10 (d) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from
11 money in the fund.
12 (e) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
13 currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
14 manner as other public funds may be invested. Interest that
15 accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund.
16 (f) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not
17 revert to the state general fund but remains available to be used for
18 the purposes of this chapter.
19 Sec. 5. An individual must apply for a scholarship, or renewal
20 of a scholarship, under this chapter in the form and manner
21 prescribed by the commission.
22 Sec. 6. An individual qualifies for an initial scholarship under
23 this chapter if the individual:
24 (1) is a minority individual who is working in Indiana in an
25 entry-level health care position involving direct patient care
26 in either an inpatient or outpatient setting;
(2) is admitted to an approved postsecondary educational27
institution;28
(3) either:29
(A) intends to pursue, in the case of an individual who has30
been accepted to, but is not yet attending, an approved31
postsecondary educational institution; or32
(B) is pursuing, in the case of an individual who is33
attending an approved postsecondary educational34
institution;35
a course of study resulting in an associate's degree or36
certificate enabling the individual to practice as a licensed37
nurse in Indiana;38
(4) agrees, in a written agreement entered into with the39
commission, to:40
(A) use a scholarship awarded under this chapter solely to41
pay:42
2023 IN 453—LS 7351/DI 119 3
(i) tuition and other fees;1
(ii) the cost of room and board;2
(iii) the cost of textbooks and equipment; or3
(iv) any programmatic fees;4
required for a course of study described in subdivision (3);5
(B) apply for a position as a licensed nurse in Indiana not6
later than one (1) year after the individual's licensure as a7
nurse; and8
(C) if hired, practice as a licensed nurse in Indiana for at9
least three (3) years; and10
(5) meets any other minimum criteria established by the11
commission in rules adopted under section 11 of this chapter.12
13 Sec. 7. The term of a scholarship awarded under this chapter is
14 one (1) academic year, or the equivalent of one (1) academic year
as established by the approved postsecondary educational15
institution to which the scholarship recipient is admitted.16
Sec. 8. (a) Except as provided by subsection (b), an individual17
who qualifies for an initial scholarship under section 6 of this18
chapter qualifies for renewal of the scholarship if the individual:19
(1) continues to meet the criteria under section 6 of this20
chapter21 ;
22 (2) maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0
23 on a 4.0 grading scale, or an equivalent grade point average
as established by the approved postsecondary educational24
institution attended by the individual25 ;
26 (3) enrolls in and completes at least fifteen (15) credit hours
27 each semester, or an equivalent course load as established by
the approved postsecondary educational institution attended28
by the individual29 ; and
30 (4) meets any other requirements established in rules adopted
31 under section 11 of this chapter.
32 (b) The commission may grant a waiver from the requirements
33 of subsection (a) to an applicant for renewal if:
34 (1) the applicant submits a petition to the commission, in a
35 manner prescribed by the commission, asserting; and
36 (2) the commission determines, based on the petition;
37 that extenuating circumstances prevented the applicant from
38 meeting the requirements of subsection (a).
39 (c) If the commission grants a waiver to an applicant for
40 renewal under subsection (b), the commission may:
41 (1) place the applicant on probationary status; and
42 (2) establish additional requirements for the applicant.
2023 IN 453—LS 7351/DI 119 4
1 (d) A scholarship under this chapter may be renewed for not
2 more than four (4) undergraduate academic years, or the
3 equivalent of four (4) academic years as established by the
approved postsecondary educational institution attended by the4
scholarship recipient.5 However, an individual may not renew a
6 scholarship under this chapter for an academic year that ends later
7 than six (6) years after the date the individual is awarded the initial
8 scholarship under this chapter.
9 Sec. 9. The amount of a scholarship under this chapter is equal
10 to the lesser of the following:
11 (1) The balance of the scholarship recipient's total cost of
12 attendance for the academic year after the application of any
13 other financial assistance for which the scholarship recipient
14 qualifies.
15 (2) Four thousand dollars ($4,000).
16 Sec. 10. (a) An individual who is awarded a scholarship under
17 this chapter shall agree in writing to repay the amount received by
18 the individual under this chapter if the individual does not
19 complete:
20 (1) a course of study described in section 6(3) of this chapter;
21 or
22 (2) the conditions to which the individual agrees under section
23 6(4) of this chapter.
24 (b) The commission may waive repayment of all or part of a
25 scholarship under subsection (a) if:
26 (1) the scholarship recipient submits a petition to the
27 commission, in a manner prescribed by the commission,
28 asserting; and
29 (2) the commission determines, based on the petition;
30 that extenuating circumstances prevented the scholarship recipient
31 from meeting the requirements of subsection (a).
32 Sec. 11. The commission shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
33 necessary to administer this chapter.
34 Sec. 12. There is annually appropriated to the fund from the
35 state general fund an amount sufficient to carry out the purposes
36 of this chapter.
37 Sec. 13. (a) Not later than December 1, 2027, the commission
38 shall issue a report to the general assembly, in an electronic format
39 under IC 5-14-6, describing the effect of the scholarship program
40 under this chapter. The commission shall include in the report the
41 following information for the period beginning July 1, 2023, and
42 ending July 1, 2027:
2023 IN 453—LS 7351/DI 119 5
1 (1) The number of scholarships granted under this chapter.
2 (2) The number of scholarship recipients who graduated with
a degree or certificate enabling the individual to become a3
licensed nurse in Indiana.4
5 (3) The number of:
6 (A) scholarship recipients who found employment as a
7 licensed nurse; and
8 (B) scholarship recipients who were employed as a licensed
9 nurse as of July 1, 2027.
10 (4) The number of scholarship recipients who:
11 (A) were employed in two (2) or more nursing positions;
12 and
13 (B) as of July 1, 2027, were employed in a nursing position:
14 (i) requiring a higher level of skill; or
15 (ii) involving greater professional responsibility;
16 than the immediately preceding nursing position in which
17 the scholarship recipient was employed.
18 (5) The number of scholarship recipients who fulfilled the
19 scholarship recipient's agreement under section 6(4) of this
20 chapter.
21 (6) The number of:
22 (A) scholarship recipients who did not fulfill the
23 scholarship recipient's agreement under section 6(4) of this
24 chapter; and
25 (B) scholarship recipients who repaid all or part of the
26 scholarship under section 10 of this chapter.
27 (b) This section expires December 31, 2027.
2023 IN 453—LS 7351/DI 119