Senate committee backs expansion of Line Fund to broader health science education
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Summary
A Florida Senate education committee voted to report SB 1246 favorably after supporters said the bill extends an existing Line Fund (created 2022) beyond nursing to other health science education programs and institutions; senators urged specifying which career paths should be prioritized. Funding levels would not increase under the bill.
Senator Davis introduced Senate Bill 1246 to the Committee on Education Postsecondary, saying the measure would expand the Line Fund — a competitive grant program established in 2022 to connect nursing education with health-care partners — to include health‑science education programs and students and to allow expanded dollar‑for‑dollar matching for private contributions while prioritizing health‑care partners. "This fund was created to incentivize collaboration between nursing education programs and health care partners," Davis told the committee.
Supporters described the bill as a flexibility measure rather than a request for additional state dollars. Davis told the committee the Line Fund already had "about $44,000,000 that's sitting in a pot for this" as of 2025 and that the governor had proposed another $30,000,000 for the fund. The bill would also authorize awards to be used for scholarships, faculty recruitment, equipment, simulation centers and facility renovations.
Senator Harrell pressed for more specificity about which career programs would qualify under the expansion, asking directly whether "radiology tech? Would it be physical therapy?" Davis said the bill expands eligible organizations (including district career centers, charter technical career centers, the Florida College System, state universities and accredited independent schools) and that the legislation could be made more concrete to specify eligible career pathways if the committee wanted that detail.
The committee recorded support from stakeholders; appearance forms listed Carolyn Johnson of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and several other individuals as supporting the bill. After brief debate and assurances from the sponsor that the measure does not request new money, the committee took a roll call. Senators Berman, Harrell, Jones, Rodriguez and Chair Simon were recorded as voting yes, and the committee reported SB 1246 favorably.
The bill now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.