Transcript Highlights:

• All right, from the Workforce Development Fund to support establishment of a statewide registered teacher
• All right, from the Workforce Development Fund to support establishment of a statewide registered teacher
• All right, from the Workforce Development Fund to support establishment of a statewide registered teacher
• All right, from the Workforce Development Fund to support establishment of a statewide registered teacher
• all right um from the Workforce all right um from the Workforce Development<00:04:32.199> Fund

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's our skilled workforce.
• And we developed and announced our growth grants, GROWW, to help support, directly, you know, find funds
• directly, you know, find funds to practically support employers developing apprenticeship programs.
• , to develop.
• That's a great, you know, they're sort of our workforce development arm of LWD, and they're a quasi,

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened with roll call and approved the January minutes. Members then heard from Undersecretary of Labor and Workforce Development Josh Cutler, who gave an update on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s apprenticeship efforts and emphasized apprenticeship as an earn-while-you-learn model that can help address workforce shortages while including people with disabilities. He described growth in apprenticeships across sectors such as banking, bio, early education, health care, and human services, and noted recent milestones including the state’s 10,000th registered apprenticeship, expanded tax credits, reduced program fees, added apprenticeship liaisons, and Grow grants to support program development. Committee members focused on how apprenticeship could be adapted for human services and disability-related jobs, including early education, direct care, PCA work, sterile processing, and related health occupations. They asked about funding structures, employer participation, community college involvement, and how to make programs accessible to people with disabilities. Cutler explained that apprenticeship programs are employer-designed but must meet core requirements such as paid employment, at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning, related technical instruction, mentorship, and progressive wages. He said the state can support programs through the registered apprenticeship tax credit, which he said is $4,800 per apprentice and can be stacked with the disability employment tax credit, and through Grow grants, which were most recently awarded at about $2.1 million statewide. Members and Cutler discussed using intermediaries such as trade associations, nonprofits, and disability organizations to help employers set up programs and navigate incentives. He said the commission could be useful as a convener and suggested a targeted panel or information session with apprenticeship liaisons, employers, and existing sponsors to identify a few specific occupations and build a proof of concept. The meeting ended with agreement to follow up offline on potential partner employers, including Eastern Bank, and on possible next steps for a focused panel or pilot opportunities.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development will now come to order.
• By a municipality or county to local workforce development boards. Sorry, I need the new glasses.
• It's relating to the establishment of a skilled labor task force by certain local workforce development
• My name is Mary York, and I'm with the Texas Workforce Commission, and I'm the Workforce Development
• The Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development is now adjourned.

Bills: HB112, HB199, HCR9

Keywords: school district, bond issuance, election dates, voter approval, Texas Education Code, HCR 9, Texas State Cemetery, Hill Country flood, July 4 2025 flood, Guadalupe River, Camp Mystic, memorial, monument, concurrent resolution, disaster remembrance, natural disaster, flood victims, survivors, State Preservation Board, Texas secretary of state

Summary: The Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development met with a quorum and moved quickly through a long agenda, hearing testimony and taking recorded votes on several bills. Early in the meeting, HB 2214 was laid out to exempt certain short-term residential leases and leaseback arrangements from flood-disclosure requirements; Texas Realtors supported the change, and the bill was left pending. The committee then voted out a series of pending measures, including HB 46, HB 186 (with a committee substitute), HB 431, HB 1147, HB 1154, HB 2468, HB 2488, HB 2788 (with a substitute), HB 2791 (with a substitute), HB 3260, and HCR 90, all reported favorably to the full House, with HB 1147 receiving two nays and the others passing unanimously or nearly so. A major portion of the hearing focused on HB 112, which would create a Texas Science Park district and commission to support advanced manufacturing and innovation sites. The bill’s author and supporters, including Samsung Austin Semiconductor, the Texas Association of Business, and the Governor’s economic development office, argued it would strengthen supply chains, attract investment, and support national security and workforce development. Testimony described interest from semiconductor and advanced manufacturing companies and referenced the model of foreign science parks such as Sinshu in Taiwan. HB 112 was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 3698 and HB 3699, both related to unemployment insurance administration. HB 3698 would expand eligibility for the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment program using federal funds, while HB 3699 would tighten the definition of “last work” to help the Texas Workforce Commission investigate UI fraud. Both bills were discussed with TWC resource witnesses and left pending after the committee withdrew the substitutes. HB 1349, which would extend HOA transparency and property-rights provisions to condominiums and refine HOA rules, and HB 621, which would require HOA meeting spaces to be available for residents to reserve for qualified political candidates or elected officials, were also heard and left pending. Finally, the committee heard HCR 9 to designate the first Saturday of each month as Small Business Saturday, HB 199 to index unemployment benefit duration to the state unemployment rate, and HB 3466 to exempt certain cancelable service contracts from Texas’s in-home sales cooling-off law; each drew supportive and opposing testimony and was left pending before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Workforce development? Yeah, public lands. I think that's clear.
• Workforce development? Yeah, public lands. I think that's clear.
• Only put workforce development housing on public lands, but also on other lands? Yes, thank you.
• That includes maintenance and repairs that SFA can build workforce development on school facilities and
• That includes maintenance and repairs that SFA can build workforce development on school facilities and

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• presenters, the writers for student support, the Workforce Development funding.
• presenters, the writers for student support, the Workforce Development funding.
• presenters, the writers for student support, the Workforce Development funding.
• presenters, the writers for student support, the Workforce Development funding.
• presenters, the writers for student support, the Workforce Development funding.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I mentioned strategy because today you want us to talk about economic development funds, bond funds,
• <00:03:25.680> funds, talk about economic development funds, talk about economic development
• First, I'm going to talk about the economic development bond funds.
• I'm going to talk about the economic development bond funds.
• There are so many folks involved in workforce and economic development.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Protection, Energy and Environment, and Tourism met for its fourth meeting and approved the February 10 minutes. The committee then heard a presentation from the Cabinet for Economic Development, led by Secretary Jeff Noel, with staff from the cabinet and Kentucky Innovation. The presentation focused on the cabinet’s strategy, including workforce, entrepreneurship, innovation, infrastructure, and placemaking, and emphasized a goal of supporting higher-wage jobs while tailoring programs to urban, non-urban, and rural “heritage communities.” The cabinet reviewed several funding tools and programs, including economic development bond funds, EDF funds, KBI, the Kentucky Innovation Pool, KSTC-related startup and commercialization programs, veteran workforce programs, and Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training funds. Officials said many projects take years to close and that funds are often committed before they are actually disbursed because reimbursements occur after project completion. They also said Kentucky is less competitive than before because of changes in tax policy and that EDF funds are increasingly important to remain competitive with other states. Members asked about whether previously allocated money remained available, whether some funds could be clawed back, and the status of the Blue Oval project. The cabinet said it is oversubscribed, with some committed dollars likely to go unused and be reoffered to other projects. On Blue Oval, officials said progress had been made and described negotiations tied to repayment and job creation requirements. They also discussed the Ford/SK loan structure, saying the companies may assume the full $250 million obligation and that repayments would be required if job targets are not met. The presentation closed with discussion of workforce coordination and the need to connect economic development projects with training and support systems, including possible ripple effects for rural suppliers and related businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• So take workforce development, for example: we say we're going to focus on workforce development.
• We have focused on workforce development.
• <04:59:09.638> a Workforce Development and in building a Workforce Development and in building
• The Workforce Development specialist we have is currently on federal funds through the Good Jobs Initiative
• The Workforce Development specialist we have is currently on federal funds through the Good Jobs Initiative

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance received an informational briefing from the Department of Education on its budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. The Superintendent and staff described the department’s mission, enrollment and staffing scale, recent gains in NAEP reading and math, persistent attendance problems since the pandemic, and the need for resources to support student recovery, middle school math, and other strategic priorities. The department said its proposal is intended to be aligned with its 2023–2029 strategic plan, fiscally balanced, and reliable for schools, while also addressing inflation, workforce needs, and uncertainty in federal funding. Assistant Superintendent and CFO Brian Hallet reviewed federal grants, non-general funds, and the budget development process. He said federal funds make up about 11% of the department’s FY25 appropriation and warned that House budget proposals could threaten predictable funding for core programs. He also explained that the department began its biennial budget work in April 2024 and used an internal review group to identify possible reallocations. The department characterized its request as a “flat” budget proposal overall, with a large share devoted to continued funding for existing recurring needs, and noted challenges including a projected state funding decline, inflation, lingering pandemic impacts, recruitment and retention, and uncertainty about future federal support. A major topic was the department’s capital improvement program. DOE officials argued for a risk-based, proactive approach using lump-sum “buckets” to manage facilities and deferred maintenance across more than 21.5 million square feet at 268 sites. They said this would allow more efficient prioritization of projects and better coordination with complex area superintendents, principals, and legislators. Members asked about how legislative priorities would fit into the bucket system, county-versus-state property jurisdiction issues affecting school facilities, enrollment decline and staffing ratios, and how the department plans to adjust facilities and human resources to shifting enrollment patterns. DOE said it is studying enrollment trends, will brief the Board of Education next month, and is willing to provide further briefings to legislators. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• and much of the talent development comes from federal funding.
• That NIH funding was used to develop a recombinant heparin.
• And that NIH funding was used to develop a recombinant heparin.
• Developing another source is really critically important, and using NIH funding to develop that source
• workforce development.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology met on August 19, 2025 to examine the effects of federal grant cuts, tariff uncertainty, and related policy changes on California’s biotech, medtech, and academic research ecosystem. The chair and panelists emphasized California’s outsized role in the industry, describing major clusters in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and explaining how research, startup formation, manufacturing, and clinical trials are interconnected across the state. Speakers from Biocom California, California Life Sciences, Farma, UC, Stanford, CSU Biotech, and UCLA all argued that NIH and NSF funding are foundational to discovery, workforce training, and commercialization, and that disruptions are already chilling venture capital, startup formation, and hiring. Witnesses described several concrete impacts: suspended or terminated grants, reduced doctoral admissions, fewer training opportunities, canceled retreats and internships, and anxiety among graduate students and early-career researchers. UC reported hundreds of millions of dollars in suspended or terminated NIH and NSF funding, while Stanford said more than a thousand training and career-development grants nationwide have been frozen or ended, affecting multiple trainees per grant. CSU Biotech said 133 federal grants had been terminated, scaled back, or canceled, totaling about $140 million, including nearly $30 million from NIH and NSF. Industry representatives also warned that proposed antitrust limits on mergers and acquisitions could undermine the standard biotech exit path and further deter investment. Committee members asked about the duration of the disruption, the possibility of state action to offset federal losses, and whether California could better support workforce development, manufacturing, and R&D tax credits. Panelists urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state support for STEM education, internships, apprenticeship pathways, manufacturing incentives, and the R&D tax credit, and to consider infrastructure and housing as part of competitiveness. They also noted that tariffs are already raising costs for medtech components and building materials, and that China is increasingly competing for R&D, talent, and licensing deals. No formal votes or bill actions were taken at the hearing; the meeting was informational and focused on testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• UNM is a part of a coalition awarded funding through the Economic Development Administration Tech Hub
• . nursing workforce.
• It would be very challenging to fund even one project in that area, much less fund many.
• That's focused on economic development. This is very much focused on federal funds.
• There were some ARPA funds At Workforce Solutions, I think originally some folks thought that it was

Transcript Highlights:

• state of Florida that needs to figure out what kind of education resources, workforce development, and
• The FLWINS solution will move us from a currently fragmented and siloed workforce development system
• , to partner together and serve as the workforce development needs of Floridians via a customer portal
• The FLIN solution will move us from a currently fragmented and siloed workforce development system with
• me The solution will move us from a currently fragmented and siloed workforce development system with

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several state technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Enterprise Business Solution (DEMS). FDEM said DEMS is about 50% complete, with some grants and finance functions already live, and is intended to replace manual disaster and grants processing with a cloud-based system. Officials described faster reimbursement timelines after recent storms, major return-on-investment claims, and a planned final phase focused on design, testing, communications, data governance, and additional functionality. Members asked about the total cost, the role of Florida Digital Service, deliverables-based contracting, and how much of the system is live; FDEM said the project is expected to cost about $16 million to $16.8 million and finish by June 2027, with some follow-up information to be provided. The Department of Legal Affairs presented its Office of Attorney General Modernization Program, a follow-up to an earlier effort that failed after spending about $26 million. Acting Attorney General John Gard said the department has now moved to an off-the-shelf case management product, LawBase, and is in development and testing, with the Office of Statewide Prosecution already live and full implementation expected by the end of the fiscal year. The request includes funding for staff augmentation, cloud storage, the LawBase license, redundancy through a backup site in Orlando, and OnBase support. Members questioned the prior failure, the use of Florida Digital Service standards, data location and cloud migration, and the redundancy plan; Gard said lessons learned included better scoping and that the current effort is on track. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles then updated the committee on Motorist Modernization, including the Orion system and the MyDMV portal. Officials said Phase 1 and Phase 2 have modernized driver license and motor vehicle services, with Phase 2 statewide rollout scheduled to begin in April 2025 and Phase 3 proposed at $16.5 million for dealer services, data warehouse improvements, and call center modernization. Members asked about payment options, organ donor questions, staffing, cybersecurity, cloud strategy, and the digital driver license program. The agency said the portal already allows some sanctions to be cleared online, an ACH option is being developed, the digital driver license vendor has changed with a fall go-live anticipated, and the department is using security testing and a managed security service provider. Officials also said the system is currently on an on-prem private cloud, with future workloads expected to move to public cloud where appropriate. Finally, Florida Commerce presented on the Reemployment Assistance modernization system, Reconnect, and the FLWINS workforce system. Commerce said Reconnect is hosted in the Azure Government Cloud, has reduced claim filing time, improved fraud detection, and increased appeals capacity, and now needs $4.9 million in recurring funding to cover ongoing operations, cloud hosting, licenses, and staff augmentation. Members asked about adjudication issues, wait times, fraud prevention, and whether the system stores caller identifiers; Commerce said the average wait to speak to a representative is about 18 minutes and claims are generally processed in four to six weeks. The committee then began hearing about FLWINS, which is intended to create a “no wrong door” workforce portal under the REACH Act, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Future Fund grant programmer for the subcommittee on Workforce, HB 1703 by Lozano relating to
• for the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.
• programs and grants for to the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.
• For the Committee on Creative Workforce and Economic Development, HB 1927 by Leo Wilson, relating to
• the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development, HB 2034 by GERD's relating to issuance of

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've already talked about general fund and workforce development fund.
• Beginning on line 298 are the workforce development fund appropriations.
• Beginning on line 298 are the workforce development fund appropriations.
• The next page continues with workforce development fund appropriations, all one-time funding in fiscal
• The next page continues with workforce development fund appropriations, all one-time funding in fiscal

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• needs like college affordability, career readiness, workforce development, school safety, artificial
• funding formulas and higher education funds.
• Since formula funding is the primary way Lamar is funded, securing additional funding through this formula
• We provide education and training to develop a highly skilled workforce for in-demand, well-paying careers
• Additionally, we're asking for $1.5 million in program funding to support the development of technical

Transcript Highlights:

• Responsibility of the priority designation from a local workforce development board to the Texas Workforce
• of today while developing the workforce of tomorrow.
• Number 1, track and report how federal workforce development funds are being used to support young adults
• Requiring local workforce development boards to develop strategies for opportunity youth with clear goals
• Members, we have a resource witness from the director of workforce development with Texas Workforce Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• ' compensation fund, and the Workforce Development Fund.
• ' compensation fund, and the Workforce Development Fund.
• ' compensation fund, and the Workforce Development Fund.
• > Fund<00:48:07.839> uh fund and Workforce Development Fund uh fund and Workforce Development
• > Development fund dollars are Workforce Development fund dollars are Workforce Development and<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:05.159> Development to implement a Workforce Development to implement a Workforce Development
• you were on the Workforce Development Council, and so you were looking at workforce development.
• know that you were on the Workforce Development Council, and so you were looking at workforce development
• c> the Workforce Development Council to the Workforce Development Council to the last<00:15:17.600
• <00:16:12.279> Development State Workforce Development State Workforce Development Council

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a series of Governor’s messages for confirmation to several boards and councils, with the chair noting the meeting would continue on Monday and that testimony would be limited due to the large volume of submissions. For Governor’s Message 660, Kelly Oka was nominated to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Oka described her work in workforce development and technology, emphasizing equitable access to tech jobs for local residents, keeping young talent in Hawaii, and using HTDC to attract major technology firms and support cybersecurity and startup growth. Testimony from multiple individuals and organizations was strongly supportive, and members asked about HTDC’s challenges, federal funding, and how to attract more tech investment; no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then considered Governor’s Message 529, nominating Fono Cafi Mei to the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board. Mei said he had 20 years of crane-operating experience, including work on rail projects, and union representatives and labor organizations testified in support. Next, Governor’s Message 502 nominated Ken Louie to the Workforce Development Council. Louie highlighted his four years on the council, including two as chair, his family business, and his goal of expanding opportunities for younger and adult workers. DBEDT, council members, and labor representatives supported him, and members questioned him about the council’s priorities, staffing, federal funding uncertainty, apprenticeships, and military-to-private-sector transition programs. The committee also took up Governor’s Messages 581 and 690 together, both relating to Jared Gashi’s nomination to the Workforce Development Council for different terms. Gashi, from the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, said he would bring the tourism industry’s perspective to workforce development, citing workforce shortages, internships, scholarships, and the need for a broader tourism voice on the council. Support testimony came from state officials and community members, who praised his reliability and leadership; a member asked how he would broaden the council beyond tourism, and Gashi said HLTA represents a wide range of tourism-related sectors and partners. The committee then heard Governor’s Message 571 for Eric Noi to the Deferred Compensation Plan Board, with Noi citing his fiscal and budgeting background; DHS, the board chair, and others supported him. Finally, Governor’s Message 667 nominated Ty Noara to the same board, and Keith Regan testified in strong support, citing her public service, intelligence, and ability to handle difficult situations. The excerpt ends as the committee begins Governor’s Message 560, nominating David Louie to the Employees’ Retirement System Board, with Louie, the ERS executive director, the finance director, and former Governor Abercrombie offering strong support.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will come to order.
• the workforce funds with existing workforce development funding streams, and limit rulemaking to prevent
• It's no secret that workforce development is a top priority for our organization.
• and under the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development rather than Economic Development
• That does conclude the executive session on Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this would be all of the funding for that. And this is from the Workforce Development Fund.
• access to spend the workforce access to spend the workforce development<00:19:20.559> fund.
• I just wanted to make sure to note, as you're referencing the use of workforce development fund funds
• c> and<01:42:29.760> and workforce development fund funds and and workforce development fund
• development funds to work fun workforce development funds to work<01:47:27.840> with<01:47:28.080

Bills: HF3228, HF2441

Keywords: workers' compensation, insurance programs, employee protection, Minnesota statutes, safety regulations, prevailing wage, certified payroll, payroll reporting, construction contracts, public works, project registration, labor standards, contractor compliance, subcontractor reporting, state government, Department of Administration, Commissioner of Labor and Industry, Metropolitan Council, highway construction, public construction

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that phase is probably the highest-risk development funds to go source.
• I'm the Senior Director of Human Resources and Workforce Development at the Nuclear Energy Institute.
• To help them look at developing their workforce ecosystems in their areas.
• , get data center developers involved that fund things, invest in things.
• private sector partners, they get data center developers involved that fund things, invest in things.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in the area of workforce training, first I'd like to say how much we appreciate the GROW funding
• Utilizing GROW funds, institutions strengthened existing workforce programs and initiated multiple new
• Fund?
• And most of our institutions and their plans to us do mention quantum and some of their workforce development
• Amount of funding 5 million.

Keywords: 996, all