Bill > A01864

This bill creates the "Nurse of Tomorrow Act," which establishes a comprehensive grant program administered by the state education commissioner to address nursing workforce challenges. The bill provides three main types of grants: nurse recruitment and retention grants, basic nurse education expansion grants, and nurse education encouragement grants. For recruitment and retention, hospitals and skilled nursing facilities can receive funding for initiatives like salary bonuses for nurses who commit to multi-year employment, providing skills training, offering tuition reimbursement, supporting internships, and implementing other retention strategies. The basic nurse education expansion grants focus on supporting associate degree nursing programs, with preferences given to schools that demonstrate ability to recruit diverse students, provide remedial education, and have plans to expand enrollment and modernize technology. The nurse education encouragement grants aim to help various nursing education entities collaborate with school districts to inspire secondary school students to pursue nursing as a career. When awarding recruitment and retention grants, the commissioner will prioritize hospitals and facilities with financial need, as indicated by low or negative operating margins. The overall goal of the bill is to address nursing shortages, support nursing education, and create pathways for more individuals to enter the nursing profession.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1864