Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2248

Introduced
2/4/25  
Refer
2/4/25  
Report Pass
2/17/25  
Refer
2/19/25  

Caption

Establishing the Kansas nursing initiative grant program and authorizing the state board of regents to approve need-based or competitive grants for the expansion of nursing faculty, laboratory supplies and tools for student success at postsecondary educational institutions.

Summary

HB 2248 establishes the Kansas nursing initiative grant program within the state board of regents. The program would provide need-based or competitive grants, subject to appropriations, to postsecondary educational institutions with accredited nursing programs to support expansion of nursing faculty, purchase nonconsumable laboratory supplies and equipment, and provide tools that help students succeed in the program. Eligible institutions must have a nationally accredited nursing program approved by the Kansas Board of Nursing and must meet a performance threshold based on national council licensure examination scores at or above the most recent three-year national average. The bill allows grants to be used for adjunct clinical instructors, including partial support for instructors employed by healthcare facilities, as well as tutoring, study skills, exam preparation, licensing preparation, and student support services such as childcare. Institutions receiving grants must submit reports as requested by the state board of regents.

Impact

The bill creates a new grant program in Kansas law and assigns administration and rule-setting authority to the state board of regents. It does not mandate funding, but authorizes grants if appropriations are provided, and it permits awards without requiring a matching contribution from recipient institutions. The measure would affect postsecondary educational institutions with accredited nursing programs, especially those seeking resources to expand capacity, improve training infrastructure, and support student retention and completion.

Sentiment

The available context suggests generally positive support for the bill, with the measure introduced by the Committee on Health and Human Services at the request of the Kansas Hospital Association. That sponsorship indicates the bill is aligned with healthcare workforce needs and likely intended to address nursing shortages and training capacity. No committee transcript or vote data is available, so there is no recorded opposition or debate in the provided materials.

Contention

The main policy questions appear to be how grants will be prioritized, what standards the state board of regents will use to evaluate applications, and how limited appropriations will be distributed among eligible nursing programs. Another potential point of discussion is the eligibility threshold requiring national accreditation, Kansas Board of Nursing approval, and above-average NCLEX scores, which may favor stronger programs over those needing the most improvement. The bill also leaves discretion to the board over grant amounts, number of awards, and reporting requirements, which could be a point of concern for institutions seeking predictability.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS SCR1603

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for residential property.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS SCR1604

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for real property and personal property mobile homes.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

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