House Bill 1006

AN ACT TO DIRECT THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD TO ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE NURSING SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING PROGRAM, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE EXISTING NURSING DEGREE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED AT THE COLLEGES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Community College Board shall establish the Community and Junior College Nursing Supplemental Funding Program, which will provide additional funding to the public community and junior colleges to expand and improve the operation and administration of the existing nursing degree programs that are offered at the colleges. The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as necessary for the administration of the program.

(2) Under the supplemental funding program, the board shall receive applications from the colleges requesting additional funding for their nursing programs, describing in detail how the funds will be used by the colleges, how the receipt of the funds will improve their nursing degree programs, and any other information as required by the board. The board shall develop a system to use for ranking the applications received, so that the additional funding will be provided to those colleges that have the greatest need for the funds for the operation of their nursing programs, and those colleges that can provide the greatest benefit to nursing education and the nursing profession in Mississippi by expansion or improvement of their nursing programs.

(3) An application for additional funding under the program shall be submitted at such time, be in such form, and contain such information as the board prescribes.

(4) The board shall operate the supplemental funding program and provide additional funding to colleges under the program from any funds appropriated to the board by the Legislature for that purpose.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.