HB 541: Education; tuition equalization grants; expand definition of an approved school to include certain institutions which offer programs in nursing

Georgia's tuition equalization grant program (O.C.G.A. § 20-3-411) helps Georgia students pay for private college by giving grants to students at schools the state defines as 'approved.' Until now, for-profit (proprietary) schools generally had to meet a narrow set of requirements, including being a general baccalaureate-degree institution accredited a particular way, to count as approved. This bill adds a new category specifically for proprietary schools that offer a bachelor's degree in nursing. To qualify, a school must be accredited by one of two named accrediting bodies plus the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, have graduates pass the national nursing licensing exam at an 80 percent rate over four years, accept Pell Grant eligible students, be reviewed by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, and have had a campus in Georgia for at least ten years as of June 30, 2025. Only the nursing program itself, not the whole school, would count as approved, and it would not become eligible for HOPE, dual enrollment, or other state scholarship programs.

• Adds a new category of 'approved school' under Georgia's tuition equalization grant law for proprietary institutions that offer a bachelor's degree in nursing.
• Requires the nursing program to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or the Higher Learning Commission, plus the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
• Requires a four-year average nursing licensing exam (NCLEX) passage rate of at least 80 percent for the program to qualify.
• Requires the school to have had at least one Georgia campus for at least ten years as of June 30, 2025, and to be reviewed by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission.
• Limits the approval to just the nursing degree program, specifying it does not make the school eligible for HOPE scholarships, dual enrollment, or other state grant and loan programs.
• Renumbers existing subparagraphs in the code section to fit the new category and states legislative intent about addressing Georgia's nursing workforce shortage.

Private, for-profit colleges and universities in Georgia that offer nursing degree programs, students enrolled in those nursing programs who may become eligible for tuition equalization grants, and the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, which reviews and approves schools for the program.

Students in qualifying private nursing programs could gain access to state tuition equalization grant money that was previously unavailable to them, potentially lowering their cost of nursing school. The bill ties this expansion to specific quality standards, including licensing exam pass rates, aimed at increasing Georgia's supply of nurses.

• Section 1 states legislative intent that Georgia faces a healthcare workforce shortage, including a need for more high-quality nurses, and that financial assistance can help address it.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-3-411(2) to add a new division (ii) defining a qualifying proprietary nursing school as an 'approved school' for tuition equalization grant purposes.
• The new definition requires accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or the Higher Learning Commission, plus Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation.
• The new definition requires a four-year average NCLEX passage rate of at least 80 percent and at least ten years of physical presence in Georgia as of June 30, 2025.
• The bill specifies that only the nursing degree program, not the entire institution, counts as an approved school, and that this status does not extend to HOPE, dual enrollment, or other scholarship and loan programs.
• Section 2 renumbers existing divisions (ii) and (iii) to (iii) and (iv) to accommodate the new nursing category.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 470
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Katie Dempsey (R, HD-013)Primary sponsor
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)
• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)
• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 18, 2026

   165 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #529

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   45 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #770

• nursing education
• tuition equalization grants
• private colleges
• healthcare workforce
• higher education funding