S. 1482 — National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025

This section establishes a two-year pilot program under new part G of Title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.) to create or enhance state-based nursing workforce centers that analyze data gaps, conduct workforce planning and research on shortages (including contract nursing and retention factors), and implement programs to support faculty, recruit and retain nurses, develop leadership, address health inequities and crises, and provide career assistance. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must begin implementation within one year of enactment and may award two-year grants from Health Resources and Services Administration workforce funds, using up to $1.5 million in each of FY2026 and FY2027, to eligible entities (i.e., state agencies, nursing boards, 501(c)(3) organizations, community-based organizations, schools of nursing, or others determined by the Secretary) that provide a 25% nonfederal match and meet equitable geographic distribution and priority criteria (e.g., statewide services, expertise, convening history, and partnerships with nursing educators and employers). (As background, Title VII programs support health professional training and workforce development to address shortages.) The Secretary must report annually to Congress starting one year after the first grant, including data on initiatives, impacts, public-private partnerships, evaluations, and recommendations to reduce shortages by specialty, location, and employer type.

This section revises the state and regional Centers for Health Workforce Analysis (which collect, analyze, and report data on health workforce programs to the National Center for Health Care Workforce Analysis and provide related technical assistance) by (1) expanding the programs subject to such data collection, analysis, and reporting to all programs under the Public Health Service Act (from programs under Title VII); and (2) adding new requirements to subsection (c), including (A) directing at least one grant or contract to an eligible entity demonstrating nursing workforce expertise, (B) authorizing specified nursing-focused analysis and reporting activities (e.g., regional/national reports on nurse supply and demand, evaluations of nursing centers, and strategies to address shortages), (C) authorizing specified technical assistance for nursing workforce centers (e.g., data standardization training and a public website repository), and (D) defining "nursing workforce center" as a center funded under section 785.