In Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant Program, further providing for definitions.
Summary
HB2286 amends the Pennsylvania Public School Code provisions governing the Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant Program by expanding and clarifying the definitions of “approved course of study” and “in-demand occupation.” Under the bill, approved programs at institutions of higher education would explicitly include agriculture, computer science, criminal justice, business, education, special education, STEM education, engineering, nursing, allied health, sign language interpretation and translation, trades, and other programs aligned with occupations approved by the administering agency.
The bill also revises the definition of “in-demand occupation” to describe jobs that are needed by employers in Pennsylvania, require a high level of skill, and are likely to provide family-sustaining wages. It specifically adds sign language interpretation and translation to the list of covered occupations. The measure takes effect 60 days after enactment.
Impact
HB2286 would change the statutory definitions used to determine which educational programs and occupations qualify under the Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant Program. In practical terms, it broadens the range of postsecondary programs that may be eligible for scholarship support and makes sign language interpretation and translation expressly eligible as an in-demand occupation. The bill would affect the Department or agency responsible for approving programs under the scholarship grant program, as well as students and institutions seeking to participate in the program.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be a targeted, noncontroversial update focused on workforce development and educational access. The listed sponsors and the broadening of eligible fields suggest an intent to support training for occupations with labor-market demand and family-sustaining wages. No opposing viewpoints are documented in the available record.
Contention
No specific contention is reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history, because none were supplied. Potential points of policy interest, however, could include how the administering agency approves additional “other programs,” whether the expanded list should be limited to certain fields, and the explicit inclusion of sign language interpretation and translation as an in-demand occupation. Any debate would likely center on program eligibility, workforce priorities, and the scope of scholarship funding rather than on the overall purpose of the bill.
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