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SB 2516FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Died in Messages
High Impact

Changes to Florida Nursing Education and Funding (SB 2516)

Original title: Higher Education

February 13, 2026

Companion · HB 5601same policy, House versionCompanion · HB 5601same policy, House version
higher educationnursingworkforce developmentstate budgethealth care

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Where This Stands

Currently Died in Messages. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

13 actions
  1. Feb 20, 2026House
    In Messages
  2. Feb 20, 2026Senate
    Immediately certified
  3. Feb 20, 2026Senate
    The Senate requests that the House pass the bill as passed by the Senate or agree to include the bill in the Budget Conference
  4. Feb 20, 2026SenateFloor
    Passed; YEAS 36 NAYS 0
  5. Feb 20, 2026SenateFloor
    Read 3rd time
  6. Feb 20, 2026SenateFloor
    Read 2nd time
Show 7 earlier actions
  1. Feb 19, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced
  2. Feb 18, 2026Senate
    Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/20/26
  3. Feb 18, 2026Senate
    Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
  4. Feb 18, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Filed
  5. Feb 18, 2026Senate
    Submitted as Committee Bill and Reported Favorably by Appropriations; YEAS 18 NAYS 0
  6. Feb 13, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Appropriations, 02/18/26, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building
  7. Feb 13, 2026Senate
    Submitted for consideration by Appropriations

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill changes how state matching funds are distributed to nursing and health science programs, requiring institutions to coordinate with the Florida Center for Nursing rather than the Board of Governors or Department of Education to receive grants.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Nursing and health science students

Students may see changes in tuition fee waiver calculations and potential expansion of program capacity through increased grant funding.

Educational institutions

Schools must now apply for and report on LINE Fund grants through the Florida Center for Nursing rather than previous state boards.

Health care partners

Partners providing contributions to educational institutions are now subject to new certification and evaluation processes managed by the Florida Center for Nursing.

What changed

Last recorded activity February 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill centralizes the management of the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund under the Florida Center for Nursing at the University of South Florida. It expands the fund to include related health science professions and updates rules for student tuition fee waivers.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

The bill changes how state matching funds are distributed to nursing and health science programs, requiring institutions to coordinate with the Florida Center for Nursing rather than the Board of Governors or Department of Education to receive grants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LINE Fund?
The Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund is a state program that provides dollar-to-dollar matching funds to educational institutions that receive contributions from health care partners to support nursing and health science programs.
Can I still contribute to the Florida Center for Nursing?
Yes, the Board of Nursing will continue to include a question on licensure and renewal forms asking nurses to voluntarily contribute to the Florida Center for Nursing.
What happens to my tuition fee waiver?
The bill clarifies that fee waivers for Programs of Strategic Emphasis apply to a student's out-of-pocket expenses after all other federal, state, and institutional gift aid has been applied.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

ACG Advocacy

on behalf of DREXEL UNIVERSITY

2026

BUDGET/APPROPRIATIONS

“General issues impacting higher education. Research and development funding for specialty materials. Appropriations for University funding. Issues related to pediatric hospitals.”

View filing →

ACTE

$20,000

2026

EDUCATIONBUDGET/APPROPRIATIONSLABOR ISSUES/ANTITRUST/WORKPLACE

“Providing information surrounding the benefits of supporting career and technical education (CTE); Supporting the work of the House and Senate CTE Caucuses; Supporting the Skills Saving Account Act, H.R. 464; Supporting the Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act, S.4576/H.R.8896; Providing input for K-12 AI Literacy and Readiness Act, H.R. 8747; Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce Advancement Act, S. 4597/H.R.8937; opposing Interagency Agreements between the Department of Education and other agencies; sharing recommendations for the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.”

View filing →

WILSON GROUP THE

on behalf of CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Senate LDAView filing →

WILSON GROUP THE

on behalf of CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Senate LDAView filing →

FEROX STRATEGIES

on behalf of COVISTA (FORMERLY KNOWN AS ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION)

View filing →

CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC.

on behalf of BRADLEY UNIVERSITY

View filing →

BARNES & THORNBURG, LLP

on behalf of PERDOCEO EDUCATION CORPORATION (F/K/A CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION)

View filing →

BARNES & THORNBURG, LLP

on behalf of GOVERNORS STATE UNIVERSITY

View filing →

BROOKS BAWDEN MOORE, LLC

on behalf of THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

View filing →

POINT OF DIFFERENCE STRATEGIES LLC

on behalf of JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE

View filing →

Voting Record

Motion succeededsenate2/20/2026Official roll call ↗

Third Reading

Total

47

Yes

41

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

1

Abstain

0

Motion succeededhouse2/18/2026Official roll call ↗

Submitted and Reported Favorably as Committee

Total

18

Yes

18

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Full roll-call analysis →

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Centralization of Oversight

The bill shifts administrative authority for the LINE Fund from the Board of Governors and Department of Education to a single entity, the Florida Center for Nursing, likely to streamline the grant application and reporting process.

Florida Center for NursingBoard of GovernorsDepartment of Education

Connected Entities

organizationBudget Conference“Body potentially involved in budget integration”Map →
organizationSenate“Body that passed the bill”Map →
date2026-02-18“Date of committee action”Map →
location412 Knott Building“Location of the Appropriations Committee meeting”Map →
locationKnott Building“Location of the Appropriations Committee meeting”Map →
date2026-02-13“Date of initial submission”Map →
date2026-02-20“Date of final passage”Map →
organizationAppropriations Committee“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →
organizationHouse“Body requested to pass the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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