Report Title:

Nursing Scholarships

Description:

Establishes a University of Hawaii nursing scholarship program.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

168

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO NURSING SCHOLARSHIPs.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a national and statewide shortage of registered nurses available to provide patient care in hospitals and in the community. In an effort to attract more students into the nursing profession, a scholarship program to increase enrollment in the bachelor of science in nursing programs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the University of Hawaii at Hilo should be established. The nursing programs are directly responsible for preparing a significant portion of the registered professional nurses required by Hawaii hospitals and community-based health services. Health care is the second largest industry in the State. To ensure access to quality health services in Hawaii, an adequate supply of registered nurses is necessary.

The average age of nurses in Hawaii is forty-seven. Registered nurses less than thirty years of age account for less than ten per cent of all employed nurses. Unless young people enter the nursing field, the projected shortage of registered nurses will intensify over the next ten years.

The purpose of this Act is to provide an incentive for Hawaii students to pursue higher education and training in the nursing profession. Further, this Act is intended to create a sustained group of well-trained nurses that will improve health care throughout the State.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

nursing scholarship program

§   -1 Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Nursing Scholarship Program Act.

§   -2 Nursing scholarship program; establishment; administration. (a) There is established a nursing scholarship program for the University of Hawaii at Manoa and at Hilo. The University of Hawaii schools of nursing shall administer a nursing scholarship program for students enrolled in the bachelor of science in nursing program at these campuses.

(b) Scholarship recipients shall attend one of these bachelor of science in nursing programs and maintain a "B" or 3.0 grade point average or better. Scholarship funds may be used for tuition and fees and such other costs as the University of Hawaii may deem appropriate, including but not limited to transportation, child care, or clinical subsidies related to the student's academic work. Scholarship grants received by a student from the program shall not be considered taxable income under chapter 235.

(c) Scholarship recipients shall work for a minimum of twenty hours per week as a licensed registered nurse in Hawaii for three years after receipt of the bachelor of science in nursing degree. If a scholarship recipient fails to meet the criteria set forth in this subsection, all funds shall be reimbursed to the University of Hawaii at Manoa or Hilo.

(d) If a student terminates enrollment in one of these bachelor of science in nursing programs during the academic year or prior to completion of the approved course of study, the student shall return all unused portions of the scholarship grant. Returned amounts shall be used to fund other scholarship grants under this chapter."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, for the University of Hawaii nursing scholarship program. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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