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MS HB220

MS HB220
Career pathways initiative; provide for development of to increase access to educational credentials for higher-paying jobs.


summary

Introduced
01/10/2025
In Committee
01/10/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/04/2025

Introduced Session

2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

An Act To Require That The Mississippi Department Of Employment Security, The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning, The Mississippi Community College Board And The State Workforce Investment Board To Work Jointly To Develop A Plan To Be Known As The "career Pathways Initiative"; To Require The Initiative To Increase The Access Of Low-income Parents And Other Individuals To Education Credentials That Qualify Them For Higher-paying Jobs In Their Local Areas, Improve The Preparedness Of The Mississippi Workforce For High-skill And High-wage Jobs, Develop Training Courses And Educational Credentials After Consulting Local Employers And Local Workforce Boards To Identify Appropriate Job Opportunities And Needed Skills And Training To Meet Employers' Needs, Provide Resources On The Basis Of Performance Incentives, Including Participants Enrolling In Courses, Completing The Courses, Obtaining Jobs In The Targeted Job Categories, And Staying Employed In The Targeted Job Categories; To Require The Initiative To Use Available Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (tanf) Funds For Participants Who Have Custody Or Legal Responsibility For A Child Under Twenty-one Years Of Age And Whose Family Income Is Less Than Two Hundred Fifty Percent Of The Federal Poverty Level; To Require The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning To Contract For The Providing Of Education And Training That Will Result In Job Training Certificates Or Higher Education Degrees For Low-income Adults With State Agencies, Two-year Colleges, Local Governments Or Private Or Community Organizations; To Authorize Tanf Funds To Be Combined With Other Federal, State And Local Funds In Ways Consistent With Federal Laws And Regulations In Order To Provide More Funding For The Provisions Of This Act; And For Related Purposes.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the Career Pathways Initiative, a collaborative effort by Mississippi's employment, education, and workforce development agencies to help low-income adults access higher-paying jobs through targeted education and training. The initiative recognizes that higher education credentials are increasingly important for maintaining a competitive workforce and aims to improve employment prospects for low-income adults by developing specific educational programs. Key components include working with local employers to identify workforce needs, creating training courses and educational credentials, and providing performance-based resources to support participants. The program will use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to support participants who have children under 21 and whose family income is less than 250% of the federal poverty level. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning will contract with state agencies, two-year colleges, local governments, and community organizations to provide job training certificates and higher education degrees. Participants will be supported through various stages, including course enrollment, course completion, job placement, and job retention in targeted career categories. The initiative will be reviewed and approved annually by the State Workforce Investment Board, with the goal of helping individuals improve their education credentials and qualify for higher-wage employment. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Committee Categories

Labor and Employment

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Died In Committee (on 02/04/2025)

bill text


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