EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0718*
SENATE BILL 718
J2, J1, F2 4lr1934
By: Senators Lam and McKay
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 28, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Pathway to Nursing Pilot Program and Advisory Committee 2
– Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Pathway to Nursing Pilot Program in the 4
Maryland Department of Health Higher Education Commission; establishing the 5
Maryland Pathway to Nursing Advisory Committee to assist the Secretary of Higher 6
Education in the development and implementation of the Program; and generally 7
relating to the Maryland Pathway to Nursing Pilot Program. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Health – General Education 10
Section 13–5201 through 13–5203 11–1801 through 11–1803 to be under the new 11
subtitle “Subtitle 52. 18. Maryland Pathway to Nursing Pilot Program” 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Health – General Education 17
SUBTITLE 52. 18. MARYLAND PATHWAY TO NURSING PILOT PROGRAM. 18
13–5201. 11–1801. 19
2 SENATE BILL 718
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(B) “COMMITTEE” MEANS THE MARYLAND PATHWAY TO NURSING 3
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 4
(C) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND PATHWAY TO NURSING PILOT 5
PROGRAM. 6
13–5202. 11–1802. 7
(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND PATHWAY TO NURSING PILOT PROGRAM IN 8
THE DEPARTMENT COMMISSION. 9
(B) THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO : 10
(1) SUPPORT STUDENTS IN L ICENSED PRACTICAL NU RSING 11
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHO INTEND TO PRACTI CE LICENSED PRACTICA L 12
NURSING AS A CAREER IN THE STATE OR CONTINUE ON THE NURSING EDUCATIO NAL 13
PATHWAY TO BECOME A REGISTERED NURSE IN THE STATE; 14
(2) ALLEVIATE THE SHORTAGE OF NURS ING PROFESSIONALS BY 15
INCREASING THE GRADU ATION AND LICENSURE RATES OF LICENSED PR ACTICAL 16
NURSING AND REGISTER ED NURSING STUDENTS IN THE STATE; 17
(3) INCREASE THE NUMBER O F LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES AND 18
REGISTERED NURSES WH O REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE COM MUNITIES THEY 19
SERVE; 20
(4) FACILITATE STUDENT AP PLICATIONS FOR FINAN CIAL 21
RESOURCES THAT PROVI DE TUITION ASSISTANC E, LOAN REPAYMENT , AND SUPPORT 22
FOR OTHER EDUCATIONA L COSTS; AND 23
(5) PROVIDE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 24
TO COVER THE COST OF : 25
(I) COMPUTERS, TEXTBOOKS, AND OTHER SUPPLIES A ND 26
ADDITIONAL EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICES ; AND 27
(II) WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SE RVICES THAT PROVIDE 28
ASSISTANCE WITH TRAN SPORTATION, CHILD CARE , ELDER CARE , AND OTHER 29
LIVING EXPENSES THAT POSE A BARRIER TO ST UDENTS SUCCESSFULLY 30
COMPLETING THE STUDE NT’S EDUCATIONAL REQUIR EMENTS. 31
SENATE BILL 718 3
(C) THE SECRETARY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, 1
SHALL DETERMINE THE FOLLOWING FOR THE PROGRAM: 2
(1) THE TIME FRAME AND ST EPS NECESSARY TO EST ABLISH THE 3
PROGRAM; 4
(2) THE AREAS OF THE STATE IN WHICH THE PROGRAM WILL 5
OPERATE; 6
(3) FUNDING TO SUPPORT TH E PROGRAM, INCLUDING A STRATEGY 7
FOR SUSTAINABILITY T HROUGH BRAIDED FUNDI NG FROM LOCAL WORKFO RCE 8
DEVELOPMENT BOARDS , LOCAL HEALTH CARE SY STEMS, AND FEDERAL GRANTS ; 9
(4) THE RESOURCES NECESSA RY TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM; AND 10
(5) THE TYPES OF EVALUATI ONS, INCLUDING OBTAINING FEEDBACK 11
FROM STUDENTS AND ED UCATIONAL INSTITUTIO NS, NEEDED TO MAKE 12
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOU T THE PROGRAM’S DESIGN AND EXPANSI ON STATEWIDE . 13
(D) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2025, THE SECRETARY SHALL ISSUE GRANTS TO 14
AT LEAST TWO PILOT S ITES, LOCATED IN DIVERSE A REAS, THAT MEET THE 15
DEPARTMENT ’S COMMISSION’S REQUIREMENTS FOR PAR TICIPATION IN THE 16
PROGRAM. 17
(E) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 15, 2024, AND EACH DECEMBER 15 18
THEREAFTER THROUGH 2029, THE SECRETARY SHALL REPOR T TO THE GOVERNOR 19
AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE 20
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE IMPLE MENTATION OF THE PROGRAM. 21
13–5203. 11–1803. 22
(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND PATHWAY TO NURSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 23
(B) THE COMMITTEE SHALL ASSIS T THE SECRETARY IN THE DEVE LOPMENT 24
AND IMPLEMENTATION O F THE PROGRAM. 25
(C) THE COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBER S, APPOINTED 26
BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH: 27
(1) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 28
AFFAIRS; 29
(2) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION 30
COMMISSION DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; 31 4 SENATE BILL 718
(3) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE BOARD OF NURSING; 1
(4) FOUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMMUNITY COLLE GES IN THE 2
STATE THAT OFFER LICE NSED PRACTICAL NURSI NG PROGRAMS ; 3
(5) TWO REPRESENTATIVES F ROM PUBLIC HIGHER ED UCATION 4
INSTITUTIONS WITH A 4–YEAR DEGREE NURSING PROGRAM, ONE OF WHOM SHALL 5
BE FROM A HISTORICAL LY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNIV ERSITY; 6
(6) ONE REPRESENTATIVE FR OM A PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION 7
INSTITUTION THAT PRI MARILY OFFERS 4–YEAR DEGREE PROGRAMS ; 8
(7) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND NURSES 9
ASSOCIATION; 10
(8) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF 11
COMMUNITY COLLEGES; 12
(9) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND INDEPENDENT 13
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATION; 14
(10) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND HOSPITAL 15
ASSOCIATION; 16
(11) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LIFESPAN NETWORK; 17
(12) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC 18
HEALTH PATHWAYS PROGRAM; 19
(13) ONE REPRESENTATIVE FR OM A LABOR ORGANIZAT ION THAT 20
REPRESENTS CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS , LICENSED PRACTICAL N URSES, AND 21
REGISTERED NURSES ; 22
(14) ONE REPRESENTATIVE FR OM A LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT 23
BOARD; 24
(15) ONE PRACTICAL NURSING STUDENT IN THE STATE; 25
(16) ONE LICENSED PRACTICA L NURSE LICENSED IN THE STATE; AND 26
(17) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF LEADINGAGE MARYLAND; 27
(18) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HEALTH FACILITIES 28
ASSOCIATION OF MARYLAND; AND 29 SENATE BILL 718 5
(17) (19) ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL WITH EXPERTISE OR EX PERIENCE 1
THAT THE SECRETARY DETERMINES IS RELEVANT TO THE COMMITTEE. 2
(D) THE SECRETARY SHALL DESIG NATE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. 3
(E) THE DEPARTMENT COMMISSION SHALL PROVIDE STAFF FOR THE 4
COMMITTEE. 5
(F) A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE: 6
(1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 7
COMMITTEE; BUT 8
(2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 9
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET . 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
June 1, 2024. 12
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.