(1) The general assembly recognizes the need to provide a high quality trained workforce necessary for the delivery of quality care to seniors and other individuals. The general assembly further recognizes that limiting the number of students participating in nursing programs in the state-supported institutions of higher education frustrates the goal of delivering quality care to the number of those in need. (2) The commission shall develop admissions policies for nursing programs at state- supported institutions of higher education that, subject to the availability of funds through the more nurses for Colorado fund created pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, allow for a greater number of students to be admitted to nursing education programs on or after July 1, 2002, who would otherwise not be admitted because of the limit on the number of students that the institution accepted in its nursing program prior to July 1, 2002. (3) The commission shall direct the governing boards of state supported institutions of higher education with nursing programs to allow additional students of nursing to be admitted when there are sufficient funds available through the more nurses for Colorado fund created pursuant to subsection (4) of this section to support the increased costs associated with such students. (4) There is hereby created in the office of the state treasurer the more nurses for Colorado fund. Such fund shall consist of gifts, grants, and donations from private entities and shall be continuously appropriated by the general assembly. Such moneys shall be used by the commission solely to support the development of additional capacity to allow a greater number of students to be admitted to the nursing programs in the state-supported institutions of higher education. Such moneys shall constitute gifts for the purposes of calculating fiscal year spending pursuant to section 20 of article X of the Colorado constitution. (5) It is the intent of the general assembly that no general fund dollars be appropriated for the purposes of implementing the requirements of this section. (6) Each state-supported institution of higher education that offers a bachelor of science degree in nursing shall submit an annual report to the department of higher education that includes the following information: (a) The number of bachelor of science in nursing degrees and the number of associate nursing degrees, if any, awarded; (b) The number of nursing program graduates who passed the state nursing licensure examination; and (c) The total tuition for a student to complete the state-supported institution of higher education's bachelor of science degree in nursing program.
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