FL S2516

Bill

FL S2516

Higher Education

Introduced
05/07/2026

In Committee
05/07/2026

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
05/01/2026

Introduced Session

2026 Fifth Special Session

Bill Summary

An act relating to higher education; amending s. 464.0195, F.S.; establishing the Florida Center for Nursing within the University of South Florida; requiring the center to administer the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund; requiring the center to promote certain funds and provide technical assistance during a specified timeframe; requiring the center to develop certain guidelines and make them publicly available on its website; providing requirements for the administration of LINE funds; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; providing that a specified fee waiver applies to a student’s out-of-pocket expenses for tuition and fees after other aid is applied; deleting a requirement for a state university to report and disburse certain waived fees; deleting a requirement for disbursement; amending s. 1009.8962, F.S.; providing that the LINE Fund was established for shortages in health science professions in addition to nursing; defining terms; requiring that the LINE Fund be administered by the Florida Center for Nursing within the University of South Florida, rather than the Board of Governors and the Department of Education; providing that funding is subject to approval of an application by the center; authorizing the fund to match certain contributions if funds are available; revising how funds may be used; providing exceptions to certain prohibitions on the use of funds; revising requirements for a proposal for LINE funds submitted by an institution; providing that proposals for related health science programs may not be prioritized over nursing programs; revising requirements for the center to evaluate submitted proposals; authorizing the center to prioritize certain grant applications; requiring the center to notify each applicant of its determination; defining terms; requiring an institution with an approved proposal to certify the health care partner’s contribution in a specified manner; authorizing the center to award funds for up to 3 academic years; requiring institutions awarded grant funds to submit an annual report by a certain date to the center instead of the Board of Governors or the Department of Education; providing that the Department of Education is the lead entity for identifying and maintaining which health science programs are eligible for LINE funds; requiring the department to compile and publish a list of eligible programs by a specified date; requiring the department to review and update the list annually; requiring the Office of Reimagining Education and Career Help to provide specified data to the department; deleting a requirement for the Board of Governors to adopt regulations and the State Board of Education to adopt rules; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the Florida Center for Nursing within the University of South Florida to administer the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund, which provides matching funds to institutions that partner with healthcare providers to address shortages in nursing and other health science professions. The center will promote the LINE Fund, offer technical assistance to applicants, and develop guidelines for fund administration, including application procedures, eligibility criteria, and reporting requirements. The bill also clarifies that a specified fee waiver for students in strategic emphasis programs applies to out-of-pocket expenses after other aid is applied and removes a requirement for state universities to report and disburse certain waived fees. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "health care partner" for the LINE Fund to include organizations that provide educational materials or simulation equipment, and it clarifies that proposals for related health science programs will not be prioritized over nursing programs. The Department of Education is designated as the lead entity for identifying and maintaining a list of eligible health science programs for the LINE Fund, and the Office of Reimagining Education and Career Help will provide workforce data to support this process. Finally, the bill allows the LINE Fund to be awarded for up to three academic years and requires institutions receiving funds to submit annual reports to the center.

Sponsors (1)

Gayle Harrell (R)*,

Last Action

Laid on Table, refer to HB 5601-E (on 05/12/2026)

Official Document

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026E/2516E

(3 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026E/2516E
Analysis - Appropriations (Post-Meeting)	https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026E/2516E/Analyses/2026s02516E.ap.PDF
BillText	https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026E/2516E/BillText/Filed/HTML

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H5001	General Appropriations Act	Conference Committee appointed: Appropriations Conference Committee/Budget: Senator Hooper, Chair; Senators Berman, Boyd, Brodeur, Gruters, Passidomo, and Rouson, At Large; Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government/Agriculture & Natural Resources: Senator Brodeur, Chair; Senators Arrington, Berman, DiCeglie, Grall, Massullo, McClain, Nathan, Pizzo, Rodriguez, Sharief, and Truenow; Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government/State Administration: Senator Brodeur, Chair; Senators Arrington, Berman, DiCeglie, Grall, Massullo, McClain, Nathan, Pizzo, Rodriguez, Sharief, and Truenow; Appropriations Conference Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice/Justice: Senator Garcia, Chair; Senators Martin, Osgood, Polsky, Simon, Smith, Wright, and Yarborough; Appropriations Conference Committee on Health and Human Services/Health Care: Senator Trumbull, Chair; Senators Brodeur, Burton, Davis, Garcia, Harrell, Rodriguez, Rouson, and Sharief; Appropriations Conference Committee on Higher Education/Higher Education: Senator Harrell, Chair; Senators Bracy Davis, Bradley, Burgess, Calatayud, Davis, and Leek; Appropriations Conference Committee on Pre-K – 12 Education/Pre-K – 12: Senator Burgess, Chair; Senators Bradley, Calatayud, Gaetz, Jones, Massullo, Nathan, Osgood, Pizzo, Simon, and Yarborough; Appropriations Conference Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development/Transportation & Economic Development: Senator DiCeglie, Chair; Senators Arrington, Avila, Bernard, Bracy Davis, Grall, Leek, Martin, Mayfield, McClain, Polsky, Smith, Truenow, and Wright.	Similar To
H5601	Higher Education	Conference Committee appointed: Appropriations Conference Committee/Budget: Senator Hooper, Chair; Senators Berman, Boyd, Brodeur, Gruters, Passidomo, and Rouson, At Large; Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government/Agriculture & Natural Resources: Senator Brodeur, Chair; Senators Arrington, Berman, DiCeglie, Grall, Massullo, McClain, Nathan, Pizzo, Rodriguez, Sharief, and Truenow; Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government/State Administration: Senator Brodeur, Chair; Senators Arrington, Berman, DiCeglie, Grall, Massullo, McClain, Nathan, Pizzo, Rodriguez, Sharief, and Truenow; Appropriations Conference Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice/Justice: Senator Garcia, Chair; Senators Martin, Osgood, Polsky, Simon, Smith, Wright, and Yarborough; Appropriations Conference Committee on Health and Human Services/Health Care: Senator Trumbull, Chair; Senators Brodeur, Burton, Davis, Garcia, Harrell, Rodriguez, Rouson, and Sharief; Appropriations Conference Committee on Higher Education/Higher Education: Senator Harrell, Chair; Senators Bracy Davis, Bradley, Burgess, Calatayud, Davis, and Leek; Appropriations Conference Committee on Pre-K – 12 Education/Pre-K – 12: Senator Burgess, Chair; Senators Bradley, Calatayud, Gaetz, Jones, Massullo, Nathan, Osgood, Pizzo, Simon, and Yarborough; Appropriations Conference Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development/Transportation & Economic Development: Senator DiCeglie, Chair; Senators Arrington, Avila, Bernard, Bracy Davis, Grall, Leek, Martin, Mayfield, McClain, Polsky, Smith, Truenow, and Wright.	Similar To
S2500	Appropriations	Laid on Table, refer to HB 5001-E	Similar To

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Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Official Document

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