Community colleges: Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program.

Added a new Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program (Article 3.3, Section 78045) authorizing select community college districts to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, limited to 15 districts statewide.

Established selection criteria for participating districts: equitable geographic access across northern, central, and southern California; priority for underserved nursing areas (RN shortage areas per HCAI); priority for communities with persistent poverty; and requirement of a nationally accredited nursing program.

Allowed provisional selection for districts in 'candidate' status for national accreditation, with priority given to Central Valley districts, and a mechanism to withdraw provisional selection if progress toward accreditation is untimely.

Required selected districts to continue offering an associate degree in nursing, and capped total ADN plus BSN students at the district's approved ADN class size, with BSN participants limited to 25 percent of that class size or 35 students, whichever is greater.

Required each participating district to give priority registration to students who earned an associate degree in nursing from that same district.

Required the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program covering enrollment, costs, completion rates, compliance, and expansion recommendations, with results due to the Legislature by July 1, 2033.

Set a sunset date of January 1, 2035, after which the entire article is repealed.

Defined 'underserved nursing area' as a registered nurse shortage area designated at high-, medium-, or low-severity level by the Department of Health Care Access and Information.

The pilot program cap was reduced from 15 community college districts statewide to 10, narrowing the number of institutions eligible to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree under the pilot.

Priority for provisional selection (districts with nursing programs in candidate accreditation status) was expanded to include community college districts located in the Inland Empire, in addition to the Central Valley.

The pilot program cap was reduced from 15 community college districts to 10, narrowing the number of institutions that can offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree through this pilot.

The legislative intent section stating it is the Legislature's intent to enact future legislation relating to nursing education was removed entirely.

Provisional selection priority for districts in 'candidate' accreditation status was expanded from the Central Valley alone to include both the Central Valley and the Inland Empire, broadening geographic eligibility for provisional participation.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the Senate amendment introduced or clarified a state fiscal impact requiring fiscal committee review.