Bill > SB405

This bill transfers the authority for administering nursing scholarships and loan repayment programs from the Board of Health to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (the Authority), a public body created to improve the state's health workforce. The Authority will now be responsible for establishing criteria, awarding scholarships, and managing loan repayment programs for various nursing roles, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nurse aides, with a focus on addressing critical shortages in underserved areas and long-term care facilities. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Authority establish an annual reporting schedule for health workforce data, oversee and provide strategic guidance to a newly established Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, and grants the Authority the power to evaluate all health workforce programs supported by the Commonwealth, including scholarships, loan repayment programs, and rural practice incentives. Importantly, the Authority is also empowered to create its own regulations for these programs, exempt from the usual Administrative Process Act requirements, to ensure efficient administration.

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB405