SB 526 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Nursing Education Programs

Summary

Nursing Education Programs; Requiring the Department of Health to issue provisional licenses to graduate licensed practical nurses and graduate registered nurses under the supervision of clinical preceptors; revising application requirements for nursing education program approval; requiring the Florida Center for Nursing to develop graduate nursing preceptorship standards by a specified date; defining the term “adverse action”; revising requirements for annual reports approved programs are required to submit to the board, etc.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Jun 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 526 c1 → S 526 c2 · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill significantly strengthens oversight of Florida nursing education programs by adding provisional licensing for graduates, requiring preceptorship programs, mandating public disclosure of program performance data, and establishing stricter penalties for non-compliance. The changes aim to improve nursing education quality and accountability by giving the Department of Health more authority to inspect programs and requiring programs to meet specific graduate passage rate standards.

Scope change

The bill expands the Department of Health's authority from just 'agents' to include 'employees' for conducting inspections, and adds new requirements for provisional licensing and preceptorship programs that did not exist in the previous version.

ELIGIBILITY

Added Section 464.008(5) requiring the Department of Health to issue provisional licenses to nursing graduates who complete preceptorship programs under clinical supervision, allowing them to practice while gaining experience before full licensure.

REQUIREMENT

Added new Section 464.019(1)(k) requiring programs with graduate passage rates more than 10 percentage points below the state average to offer 3-month graduate nursing preceptorships starting August 1, 2026, with standards to be established by the Florida Center for Nursing by January 1, 2026.

Modified faculty supervision requirements to allow up to 18 students per faculty member in certain clinical settings (up from 12), and added specific rules for indirect supervision in hospital and community settings.

Added Section 464.019(4) requiring the Board of Nursing to publish comprehensive program data on its website including accreditation status, graduate passage rates, retention rates, and probationary status with interactive search capabilities.

Added Section 464.019(6) requiring the Department of Health to disclose individual graduate examination results to program directors upon written request, and requiring program directors to post average passage rates on their websites.

Added Section 464.019(3) requiring annual reports to include student application numbers, retention rates, and accreditation status, with board authority to terminate programs failing to submit reports.

Modified probationary status extension rules in Section 464.019(5)(a)3, allowing one additional year extension if the program demonstrates adequate progress toward meeting passage rate goals.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new Section 464.019(5) establishing probationary status for programs with poor graduate passage rates, requiring program directors to appear before the board, and allowing termination if remediation plans fail.

Modified inspection authority in Section 464.019(5)(e) to include department employees (not just agents) and clarified that refusal to allow inspections is a violation of legal obligation.

DEFINITION

Added definition of 'adverse action' in Section 464.019(2)(e) to include any administrative, civil, or criminal action by another state licensing board, affecting how programs are evaluated for approval or revocation.

S 526 Filed → S 526 c1 · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill updates Florida's nursing education program approval requirements, including stricter faculty qualifications, clinical training standards, and accountability measures. It also grants the Department of Health authority to conduct onsite inspections of nursing programs and establishes new consequences for programs that fail to meet performance standards or refuse inspection.

Scope change

The bill expands oversight authority to include Department of Health agents conducting onsite evaluations and inspections of nursing education programs, which was not previously authorized.

REQUIREMENT

Faculty qualifications now require program directors and at least 50% of faculty to hold specific nursing degrees and advanced degrees in related fields, with documentation requirements for degree verification.

Clinical training requirements are clarified with specific percentages (50% for practical/associate/diploma programs, 40% for bachelor's programs) and limits on clinical simulation to no more than 50% of training.

New curriculum requirements mandate documentation of clinical experience in medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, geriatric, and psychiatric nursing, plus personal, family, and community health concepts.

Programs must now establish standardized admission criteria that identify students likely needing additional educational support, with documentation of individualized support plans.

Exit examination results must be posted on the program's website and reported to the board, and the exit exam cannot be the sole exclusion to graduation.

Programs with NCLEX passage rates at least 10 percentage points below the state average must offer free remediation or pay for approved remedial programs.

Rulemaking authority is revised to limit the Board of Nursing's authority, removing provisions for extending probationary status while retaining authority for accreditation extensions.

Clinical supervision ratios are specified with direct supervision requirements of one faculty member per 12 students, or up to 18 students if the clinical agreement allows it.

ENFORCEMENT

Department of Health agents are now authorized to conduct onsite evaluations and inspections of approved and accredited nursing programs, with failure to allow access deemed a violation of legal obligation.

Programs failing to meet graduate passage rate standards for two consecutive years face probationary status, and programs failing to submit annual reports or appear before the board to explain delays face termination.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Apr 15, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; YEAS 8 NAYS 1

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, 04/15/25, 8:30 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 03/04/25, 2:00 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Fiscal Policy

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor