Bill Text: MS HB302 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: State Workforce Investment Board; require to create, through Office of Workforce Development, list of certain industry certifications.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-10 - Referred To Workforce Development [HB302 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2025-HB302-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Workforce Development
By: Representative Bell (21st)
House Bill 302
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD SHALL CREATE A SEPARATE LIST OF INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED HIGH VALUE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES; TO REQUIRE, SUBJECT TO AVAILABLE FUNDING, THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD TO PAY A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION INCENTIVE GRANT TO CERTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The State Workforce Investment Board, by and through the Office of Workforce Development, shall create, in consultation with the Mississippi Community College Board, the Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit and other appropriate business and industry stakeholders, a separate list of industry recognized high value industry certifications for participants enrolled at Mississippi Community and Junior Colleges for reimbursement from the Mississippi Community College Board, pending availability of funds. This list shall align with the approved State Workforce Investment Board K-12 industry certification list to encourage more students to connect their secondary career preparatory work with postsecondary opportunities.
(2) Subject to available funding beginning in fiscal year 2026, the Mississippi Community College Board shall pay a career and technical education incentive grant to the community college for each student enrolled in the community college who earns a qualifying industry certification. The amount per student for the career and technical education incentive grant shall be Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00). The Mississippi Community College Board shall ensure that no college is reimbursed for a student receiving certification that has already been obtained through any secondary or postsecondary institution. If the statewide sum of the career and technical education incentive grants awarded pursuant to this section exceeds the amount of available funds appropriated for the grants, the grants per student shall be reduced proportionately to cover all eligible grants under this section. Any costs accrued during one (1) fiscal year may be claimed and reimbursed in the following fiscal year.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
