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Committee debates nursing workforce data repository and use of ARPA funds; sponsor to file amendment
Summary
Lawmakers questioned whether statute should direct ARPA funds to build a statewide nursing data repository; sponsors and witnesses said one‑time ARPA funds would be sought and the sponsor offered to amend 'shall' to 'may' to address board‑funding concerns.
Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee — Senators and witnesses debated a proposal to create a statewide nursing workforce data repository (SB300) and whether the legislation should direct one‑time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward the effort.
Senator Hammer introduced SB300 as a "one‑stop" repository to collect verified, ongoing data on nursing licensure, education and workforce participation to inform policy and workforce planning. Ashley Davis, executive director of the Arkansas Center for Nursing, described gaps in current reporting: active licensure counts do not reliably indicate how many licensed nurses are actually working, and the Center’s biannual reports leave planning blind spots. "We would like to be able to say even on a quarterly basis how many nurses do we have able to go to work," Davis said.
Committee members pressed on financing and statutory language. Senator Sullivan asked whether the proposal had a fiscal impact; witnesses said there would be costs and that the Center planned to apply for grants and seek one‑time ARPA funds to build the repository. Matt Gilmore (Department of Health) told the committee the nursing board has some funds but estimated a likely cost in the range of $100,000–$200,000 rather than the $500,000 ceiling referenced in bill language.
Concern arose over whether legislation should direct ARPA dollars. The sponsor acknowledged the bill’s text currently states the Arkansas State Board of Nursing "shall" create the repository and said she would offer an amendment converting "shall" to "may" (page 1, line 27) to allow the board to apply for ARPA funds rather than be statutorily mandated to fund the project if ARPA funds are unavailable. The sponsor offered to transmit that amendment to the committee for consideration and to return the bill to the committee if necessary.
No final committee vote was recorded in the transcript; the sponsor asked the committee to allow time to send an amendment and indicated the bill would be taken up again if a written amendment could not be filed in time.
