SB60 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

April WeaverSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to the Board of Nursing; to amend Sections 34-21-96, 34-21-97, 34-21-98 and 34-21-99, Code of Alabama 1975, to remove the cap on the amount of loan awarded annually; to provide further for the definition of a critical need area; to remove certain penalties for defaulting, and to require the board to consult with the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services.

Summary

SB60 updates the Board of Nursing's APRN loan-repayment program by removing the annual cap on loans, redefining critical-need areas, relaxing some default penalties, and adding required oversight and evaluation with the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services.

What This Bill Does

It eliminates the fixed cap on annual loan amounts and replaces it with a variable system that starts at $15,000 and can increase each year based on in-state tuition changes for Alabama APRN programs, with a 5% annual cap on increases in later years. It broadens and clarifies what counts as an area of critical need in Alabama (including HPSA-designated areas, Federally Qualified Health Centers and related organizations, and rural communities). It requires repayment contracts and service in designated areas after graduation, with an 18-month service requirement for each year of loans and a possible area change only if the participant spends at least three years in the new area. It adds oversight and evaluation requirements, including annual reporting to state leaders and a 2028 evaluation by the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services, and it allows the board to adopt rules and use program revenues to fund loans. It also states that failure to honor the contract can trigger penalties and potential license-revocation consequences, while it removes some unspecified penalties for defaulting.

Who It Affects

• Aspiring or current Advanced Practice Nurses (CRNP, CNM, CRNA) who pursue or hold graduate degrees and sign repayment contracts, as they become eligible for loans to fund education in exchange for service in Alabama’s critical-need areas.
• Communities and health care areas in Alabama identified as critical need (e.g., primary care HPSA areas, FQHCs/Indian Health Service facilities, Rural Medical Service Awards areas, and other designated rural areas) that would gain increased APRN coverage.

Key Provisions

• Remove the cap on annual loan amounts for the APRN loan-repayment program (with a new mechanism to set annual loan amounts).
• Set an initial annual loan cap of $15,000, with the board permitted to raise the amount in subsequent years based on the average year-over-year in-state tuition increase for graduate APRN programs at Alabama public colleges/universities, and with a further 5% annual cap on increases in later years.
• Define and designate 'areas of critical need' in Alabama using criteria such as location in HPSA areas, presence of Federal Qualified Health Centers/tribal health organizations, and rural or other eligible areas.
• Require repayment contracts for participants and require 18 months of service in the designated area for each year of loan received (with the possibility to change areas but with a minimum of three years in the new area).
• Maintain or adjust penalties for default on repayment contracts (noting that the bill removes certain penalties for defaulting, while other penalties and consequences remain, including potential license-revocation for nursing).
• Require the Board of Nursing to consult with the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services and to adopt rules to implement the program.
• Annual reporting by the board on program status and participant locations; the reports must include where participants agreed to serve and where they were serving to repay loans.
• A 2028 evaluation by the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services to determine whether the program meets its performance measures and success criteria.
• Allow monies from the program (including repayments, interest, and penalties) to be used to fund loans.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Board of Nursing, cap on annual loan amount awarded for Alabama Loan-Repayment Program for Advanced Practice Nursing revised