SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 2645
As Recommended by Senate Committee on
Education
Brief*
Senate Sub. for HB 2645 would amend provisions of law
regarding the Nursing Service Scholarship Program and
Kansas Hero’s Scholarship Act.
The bill would be in effect upon publication in the
Kansas Register.
Nursing Service Scholarship Program (Program)
Nursing Service Scholarship Limit and Allocation
The bill would remove the limit on the number of nursing
service scholarships that may be awarded each year. The bill
would also remove provisions requiring a certain number of
the scholarships to be awarded to nursing students whose
sponsors are located in rural areas, who are enrolled in a
course of instruction leading to licensure as a registered
professional nurse, and who are enrolled in a course of
instruction leading to licensure as a licensed practical nurse.
Priority for scholarships would be changed to qualified
applicants with the greatest financial need. [Note: Currently,
priority is given to qualified applicants whose sponsor is a
mental health or treatment facility.]
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org Sponsorship
The bill would make the following amendments to the
provisions of the Program pertaining to sponsors:
●Amend the definition of the term “sponsor” to mean
any of the following that is located in a rural
opportunity zone (ROZ), as defined by continuing
law:
○An adult care home licensed under the Adult
Care Licensure Act;
○A licensed medical facility;
○A licensed home health agency;
○A local health department;
○A mental health or treatment facility; or
○A state agency that employs licensed practical
nurses or licensed professional nurses;
●Make sponsorship by a sponsor optional for an
individual’s eligibility for the scholarship;
●Amend the amount of the scholarship a recipient,
who has a sponsor, could receive to 125.0 percent
of the amount established annually by the Kansas
Board of Regents (KBOR); and
●Require a scholarship recipient who has a
sponsorship agreement to engage in the practice
of nursing in the employment of such sponsor for
the length of time the recipient received
scholarship assistance or until fulfilled as otherwise
required by law.
[Note: The current maximum scholarship amounts for
the Program are $3,500 per school year for recipients
enrolled full-time in a licensed practical nurse program and
$4,500 per school year for recipients enrolled full-time in a
registered nurse program.]
2- 2645 Terms of the Scholarship Agreements with KBOR
The bill would make changes to the scholarship
agreement entered into by KBOR and the scholarship
recipient by requiring the scholarship recipient to:
●Within six months of completing the required
course of instruction, attain licensure with the
Board of Nursing as a licensed professional nurse
or licensed practical nurse;
●Complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) for each academic year in which
scholarships funds are awarded under the
agreement; and
●Within six months of attaining licensure, engage in
the full-time or part-time practice of nursing in
Kansas for the following durations:
○For full-time practice, the total amount of time
required under the agreement, which must be
for a period of not less than the length of time
the recipient received scholarship assistance;
or
○For part-time practice, the total amount of
time required under the agreement, which
must be for a period of time that is equal to
full-time, as determined by KBOR, multiplied
by the length of the time the recipient received
scholarship assistance.
[Note: For a scholarship recipient who has a sponsor,
such recipient would be required to engage in the practice of
nursing in the employment of the sponsor in accordance with
the sponsorship agreement for the length of time the
recipients received scholarship assistance or until fulfilled as
otherwise required by law.]
3- 2645 Failure to satisfy the service requirement of the
scholarship agreement with KBOR would result in a
scholarship recipient having to pay KBOR an amount equal to
the scholarship amount received plus interest. The bill would
change the interest rate to 5.0 percent per annum, and the
interest would begin accruing on the date the obligation to
repay commenced.
Nursing Service Scholarship Review Committee
The bill would abolish the Nursing Service Scholarship
Committee (Committee). The bill would also remove the
definition of the term “Committee.”
Rules and Regulations
The bill would no longer require KBOR to consult with
the Committee before adopting rules and regulations as
necessary to administer the Program.
Technical Amendments
The bill would also make technical amendments.
Kansas Hero’s Scholarship Act (Act)
The bill would amend the Act to expand the number of
eligible recipients who may receive financial assistance.
The bill would make the following changes to the
eligibility requirements:
●Remove provisions limiting eligibility to those who
served as a member of the military after
September 11, 2001; and
●Clarify provisions pertaining to military
servicemembers who died while in military service
4- 2645 or sustained an injury or disability that rendered the
servicemember incapable of continuing such
service.
The bill would also add a provision requiring KBOR to
establish an aggregate limit for financial assistance under the
Act each year based on the annual appropriated amounts for
paid reimbursements. The bill would remove the
reimbursement limit of $500,000 per year for educational
institutions.
Background
On March 18, 2024, the Senate Committee on
Education inserted the contents of HB 2646 (Kansas Hero’s
Scholarship Act) into HB 2645 (Nursing Service Scholarship
Program) while retaining the contents of HB 2646.
Background information for each bill may be found below.
The Senate Committee on Education recommended Senate
Sub. for HB 2646, incorporating provisions pertaining to the
reopening of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement
System (KPERS) 3 members to KPERS 2. [ Note: These
provisions were originally contained in SB 479, as modified
by the Senate Committee on Education.]
HB 2645 (Nursing Service Scholarship Program)
HB 2645 was introduced by the House Committee on
Education at the request of a representative of KBOR.
House Committee on Education
In the House Committee hearing on February 12, 2024,
proponent testimony was provided by a representative of
KBOR, stating the bill would increase interest in the Program,
help address the nursing workforce shortage in Kansas, and
make administration of the Program more efficient.
5- 2645 Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of the Kansas Hospital Association and
Kansas Independent Colleges Association.
No other testimony was provided.
The House Committee amended the bill to:
●Restore the definition of “mental health or
treatment facility”;
●Restore and amend the definition of “sponsor” to
add that a sponsor must be located in a ROZ;
●Restore various provisions pertaining to sponsors
and sponsorship agreements;
●Make having a sponsor optional; and
●Provide that the scholarship amount for a nursing
student who has a sponsor must not exceed the
amount of each scholarship established annually
multiplied by 125.0 percent.
Senate Committee on Education
In the Senate Committee hearing on March 6, 2024,
proponent testimony was provided by a representative of
KBOR, stating the bill would increase interest in the Program,
help address the nursing workforce shortage in Kansas, and
make administration of the Program more efficient.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of the Kansas Hospital Association and
Kansas Independent Colleges Association.
HB 2646 (Kansas Hero’s Scholarship Act)
HB 2646 was introduced by the House Committee on
Education at the request of a representative of KBOR.
6- 2645 House Committee on Education
In the House Committee hearing on February 12, 2024,
a representative of KBOR provided proponent testimony,
stating the bill would improve the administration of the Act,
benefit servicemembers’ spouses and dependents, and make
the Act subject to appropriation, like other financial aid
programs administered by KBOR.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by a
representative of United WE.
No other testimony was provided.
Senate Committee on Education
In the Senate Committee hearing on March 6, 2024, a
representative of KBOR provided proponent testimony,
stating the bill would improve the administration of the Act,
benefit servicemembers’ spouses and dependents, and make
the Act subject to appropriation, like other financial aid
programs administered by KBOR.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by a
representative of United WE.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to delete a
scholarship eligibility requirement, “sustained an injury or
disability that rendered the servicemember incapable of
continuing such servicemember's military service,” for any
dependent or spouse of any resident of Kansas.
Fiscal Information
HB 2645 (Nursing Service Scholarship Program)
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on HB 2645, as introduced, KBOR indicates
7- 2645 enactment of the bill would eliminate the sponsorship
requirement, which would reduce revenues the KBOR
receives from sponsors; however, KBOR also indicates with
the reduction in revenue, there would also be a
corresponding reduction to expenditures. KBOR also states
the scholarship requirements have limited its ability to use the
full State General Fund (SGF) appropriation each year. With
the removal of the sponsorship requirement and the limit of
scholarships that can be awarded, KBOR estimates it would
be able to fully award the entire SGF appropriation. Any fiscal
effect associated with the bill is not reflected in The FY 2025
Governor's Budget Report.
HB 2646 (Kansas Hero’s Scholarship Act)
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on HB 2646, as introduced, KBOR indicates
enactment of the bill would increase the amount of time
KBOR staff would spend administering the scholarship but
the additional time would be absorbed within existing
resources. Any fiscal effect associated with the bill is not
reflected in The FY 2025 Governor’s Budget Report.
Education; Kansas Hero's Scholarship Act; postsecondary education; scholarship;
public safety officer; military; Kansas Board of Regents;Nursing Service Scholarship
Program; nursing;
8- 2645