(a) There is established a Connecticut nursing incentive program administered by the Board of Regents for Higher Education.

(b) The board shall provide financial assistance to up to four regional community-technical colleges that enter into partnerships with hospitals, as defined in § 19a-490, or other health care institutions, as defined in said § 19a-490, in order to secure nonstate funding to increase the number of faculty members at such regional community-technical colleges that are qualified to teach or train students to become registered nurses.

(c) A regional community-technical college seeking such assistance shall submit to the Board of Regents for Higher Education its nursing faculty expansion plan, together with a commitment agreement signed by its hospital or health care institution partner or partners and information on the amount of nonstate funding secured by the partnership. Assistance provided by the board to a regional community-technical college (1) may be provided for up to two years in accordance with this subsection, and (2) shall not exceed (A) seventy-five thousand dollars per year, or (B) the annual amount of nonstate funding secured by the partnership, whichever is less. In determining whether to provide assistance pursuant to this section for a second year, the board shall consider the success of the nursing faculty expansion plan, as measured by factors including, but not limited to, the number of persons teaching or providing training to nursing students pursuant to the nursing faculty expansion program and the number of students graduating from nursing programs.

(d) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2005, and June 30, 2006, the Board of Regents for Higher Education may use up to two per cent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for program administration.