Florida SB 1246: Exemption from the Sales and Use Tax

Bill Text

1246 
Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund 
2026-03-12T15:39:17Z 
Revising the Legislative intent for the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund; authorizing the inclusion of nonmonetary contributions to institutions for purposes of proposals for LINE Fund matching funds; requiring proposals for participation in the fund to be submitted by specified persons; prohibiting a proposal to participate in the fund from being comprised solely of nonmonetary contributions, etc. 
ENROLLED 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
er 

 ENROLLED 
 2026 Legislature CS for SB 1246, 1st Engrossed 

 20261246er 
 1 
 2 An act relating to the Linking Industry to Nursing 
 3 Education Fund; amending s. 1009.8962, F.S.; revising 
 4 the Legislative intent for the Linking Industry to 
 5 Nursing Education (LINE) Fund; revising the definition 
 6 of the term “health care partner”; authorizing the 
 7 inclusion of nonmonetary contributions to institutions 
 8 for purposes of proposals for LINE Fund matching 
 9 funds; requiring monetary contributions to receive 
 10 priority in the award of matching funds; revising the 
 11 authorized uses of awarded funds; requiring proposals 
 12 for participation in the fund to be submitted by 
 13 specified persons; providing allowable nonmonetary 
 14 contributions; providing requirements for the 
 15 acceptance of nonmonetary contributions as health care 
 16 matching funds; prohibiting a proposal to participate 
 17 in the fund from being comprised solely of nonmonetary 
 18 contributions; revising the criteria the Board of 
 19 Governors and the Department of Education must use to 
 20 review proposals; requiring grant funds awarded based 
 21 on nonmonetary contributions to be based on such 
 22 contribution’s fair market value; authorizing the 
 23 Board of Governors and the Department of Education to 
 24 provide multiyear awards under certain circumstances; 
 25 providing notification requirements for such awards; 
 26 providing an effective date. 
 27 
 28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 29 
 30 Section 1. Section 1009.8962, Florida Statutes, is amended 
 31 to read: 
 32 1009.8962 Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) 
 33 Fund.— 
 34 (1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the 
 35 “Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund Act.” 
 36 (2) Recognizing that the state has a persistent and growing 
 37 nursing shortage, it is the intent of the Legislature to address 
 38 this critical workforce need by incentivizing collaboration 
 39 between nursing education programs and health care partners that 
 40 contribute monetary or nonmonetary contributions through the 
 41 establishment of the LINE Fund. This fund is intended to meet 
 42 local, regional, and state workforce demand by recruiting 
 43 faculty and clinical preceptors, increasing the capacity of 
 44 high-quality nursing education programs, and increasing the 
 45 number of nursing education program graduates who are prepared 
 46 and licensed to enter the workforce. 
 47 (3) As used in this section, the term: 
 48 (a) “Health care partner” means a health care provider as 
 49 defined in s. 768.38(2) which is licensed to operate in this 
 50 state. 
 51 (b) “Institution” means a school district career center 
 52 under s. 1001.44; a charter technical career center under s. 
 53 1002.34; a Florida College System institution; a state 
 54 university; an independent nonprofit college or university 
 55 located and chartered in this state and accredited by an agency 
 56 or association that is recognized by the database created and 
 57 maintained by the United States Department of Education to grant 
 58 baccalaureate degrees; or an independent school, college, or 
 59 university with an accredited program as defined in s. 464.003 
 60 which is located in this state and licensed by the Commission 
 61 for Independent Education pursuant to s. 1005.31, or an 
 62 institution authorized under s. 1009.521, which has a nursing 
 63 education program that meets or exceeds the following: 
 64 1. For a certified nursing assistant program, a completion 
 65 rate of at least 70 percent for the prior year. 
 66 2. For a licensed practical nurse, associate of science in 
 67 nursing, and bachelor of science in nursing program, a first 
 68 time passage rate on the National Council of State Boards of 
 69 Nursing Licensing Examination of at least 75 percent for the 
 70 prior year based on a minimum of 10 testing participants. 
 71 (c) “Student” means a person who is a resident for tuition 
 72 purposes pursuant to s. 1009.21 and enrolled in a nursing 
 73 education program at an institution. 
 74 (4) The LINE Fund shall be administered by the Board of 
 75 Governors for state universities and the Department of Education 
 76 for all other institutions. 
 77 (5) Subject to available funds, for every monetary or 
 78 nonmonetary contribution dollar contributed to