Senate Progress and Development Committee Passes Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant Legislation
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On Wednesday, Jan. 19, the Senate Progress and Development Committee, chaired by Sen. Jill Schupp (D-St. Louis), held an executive session on Sen. Lincoln Hough’s (R-Springfield) Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant Program legislation, SB 672. A summary of the bill in its original form can be found here. During the hearing, Sen. Schupp offered a senate committee substitute to expand eligibility to qualifying students participating in a training program approved under the Office of Workforce Development’s Eligible Training Provider System. This system provides customer-focused, employment training resources for adults and a listing of eligible postsecondary occupational training providers. As previously introduced, the committee substitute would continue to expand Fast Track to include apprenticeships and remove the sunset.
The vote on the senate committee substitute was 4-0 with one legislator absent.
SB 672 is now listed first on the Senate formal calendar and could receive floor consideration next week.
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Governor Parson delivers State of the State address and releases
FY 2023 budget and ARPA recommendations
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Two students from Bolivar Technical College were invited as special guests to the State of the State. Bryan Webb and Shanisha Alexander are both nursing students utilizing the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant. The students sat in the House Gallery and were recognized during the Governor's speech. |
Governor Mike Parson delivered the State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 19. During the speech, the Governor highlighted his continued focus on workforce development and infrastructure, the state’s overall success during the past year, and his recommendation for investments across the state.
As part of his remarks, the Governor provided an overview of his FY 2023 budget proposal, which will deliver record levels of funding for higher education and workforce initiatives if approved. This includes recommendations for federal funds to support each public higher education institutions’ top capital improvement project. The Governor also recommended increasing core funding for all public colleges and universities by 5.4% and $31.5 million for workforce projects through the MoExcels grant program.
The executive budget can be found here. Overall, the Governor recommends $1.9 billion in state and federal funding for higher education and workforce development. Highlights for higher education and workforce development activities include:
State Funds
- Core increase linked to the inflation rate from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, which was 5.4%; this is a $8.2 million increase for community colleges, $433,640 for State Tech, and $42.8 million for public universities
- $31.5 million for MoExcels
- $6 million increase for the A+ Scholarship to fully fund awards
- $7 million investment in the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship passed under SB 997 in 2016
- $7,500 to continue full funding for the Public Service Officer or Employee Survivor Grant Program
- $119,861 increase for the State Historical Society of Missouri
Federal Funds
- $468.9 million for public higher education transformative capital improvement projects; to be matched by institutions
- Community colleges: $78.9 million
- State Tech: $20 million
- Public universities: $369.9 million
- $10 million for a MoExcels program for private non-profit institutions that helps expand capacity in high-demand workforce fields
- $10 million for an Agriculture Innovation and Workforce Grant
- $2.7 million for modernizing Missouri Job Centers
- $1.45 million for a Launch Missouri’s Workforce program to provide high school students with career-focused virtual education pathways and industry-recognized credentials in high-demand sectors
- $1.8 million for a campaign to raise awareness of all career pathways, options for training and education, and Job Center services
Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee Approves
Allen Brooks to Serve on Coordinating Board for Higher Education
 Allen Brooks, new Coordinating Board member, and Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb) sit before the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee.
On Wednesday, Jan. 19, the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee, chaired by Sen. Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) voted to recommend that the full Senate give advice and consent to the appointment of Allen Brooks to serve on the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, representing the eighth congressional district. Mr. Brooks was presented before the committee by Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb). The full Senate gave its advice and consent to Brooks’ appointment on Thursday, Jan. 20.
Three institution governing board members were also approved in the same vote:
- Anson Elliott, Missouri State University Board of Governors
- Valerie Patton, Harris-Stowe State University Board of Regents
- David Christopher Martin, Southeast Missouri State Board of Regents
DHEWD and higher education officials appear before House Education Appropriations Committee
On Thursday, Jan. 20, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, chaired by Rep. Rusty Black (R- Chillicothe) heard testimony from the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (DHEWD). During the hearing, department staff discussed Governor Parson’s recommendations for higher education and workforce development spending from state and federal sources. Department staff also highlighted DHEWD’s new strategic plan aimed at reducing barriers to educational attainment and workforce participation.
Following the department, the Council on Public Higher Education (COPHE), Missouri Community College Association, and the University of Missouri System expressed appreciation for the investments recommended by Governor Parson. “This might be the largest one-time investment in higher education made by the state. We are very appreciative of Governor Parson’s recommendation,” said COPHE’s Executive Director Paul Wagner. The witnesses also testified about how the pandemic, inflation, demand for mental health services, and health insurance costs will account for much of the recommended increase.
Most questions posed by subcommittee members focused on strategies by the department and institutions to address equity issues in education, funding for Access Missouri and the state’s other financial aid programs, and ARPA-related investments.
The department is scheduled to present the Governor’s recommended HB 3 budget before the full House Budget Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
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