HB 23-1246

House Bill 23-1246, titled "Support In-demand Career Workforce," aims to help more Coloradans get the skills they need for jobs that are in high demand. The bill allocates money to community colleges and technical schools so they can assist students with expenses like housing, transportation, and child care while they study. It also provides free training programs for apprentices in construction trades and sets aside funds to support nursing education and hiring school nurses. This bill was signed into law on May 16, 2023, meaning it is now active and being implemented to help address workforce needs in Colorado.

Official Summary

The act directs the state board of community colleges and occupational education (board) to administer the in-demand short-term credentials program (program) to support the expansion of the number of available and qualified professionals who are able to meet Colorado's in-demand workforce needs. Under the program, the board is required to allocate funds to community and technical colleges, area technical colleges, local district colleges, and Colorado Mesa university to provide assistance to students for eligible expenses that support their enrollment in eligible programs. If unexpended resources exist, the funds must be used to pay for a student's housing, transportation, child or dependent care, or food expenses. The act requires the Colorado commission on higher education to submit a report regarding the program to the house of representatives and senate education committees during its annual "SMART Act" hearing. The act requires the office of future work (office) to provide grants to registered apprenticeship programs that provide training in the building and construction trade at no cost to apprentices (grant program). The act requires the office to submit a report regarding the grant program to the house of representatives business affairs and labor committee and senate business, labor, and technology committee during its annual "SMART Act" hearing. In the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the general assembly appropriated $10 million to the department of public health and environment (department) for the purpose of recruitment and re-engagement efforts with health-care professionals with licenses and staffing. The act extends the authority for the department to use the appropriation through December 30, 2024. In the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the general assembly appropriated $3 million to the department for the school nurse grant program, which provides grants for hiring school nurses for public schools. The act extends the authority for the department to use the appropriation through December 30, 2024. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, $43,600,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of higher education, of which: $38,600,000 for the program; and $5,000,000 to establish 2 new short-term degree nursing programs at community or technical colleges. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, $1,400,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of labor and employment for the grant program. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 16, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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