By Jeremy Pittari, Magnolia Tribune
(Photo from Shutterstock)
Legislators came to an agreement this week on a conference report for HB 562, which sets the stage for the UPSKILL Mississippi Grant Program.
UPSKILL stands for “Upgrading Priority Skills for Key Industry Learning and Labor.” The bill seeks to provide tuition-free access to workforce-aligned community and junior college programs.
The measure, authored by State Rep. Donne Bell (R), did not provide direct funding to the program, but State Senator Nicole Boyd (R) told her chamber that funding is being appropriated through the state’s Opioid Settlement appropriations bill.
“We did not fund this with a traditional appropriation,” Boyd explained while on the Senate floor Tuesday.
As such, the initial version of the program will be limited to those who are overcoming opioid addiction.
“It will go for people that are in recovery,” Boyd said.
Other requirements focus on the age of the participant as well as the degree or certificate they are seeking.
“It is the program where we encourage those that are over age 24 to up-skill and get into high priority work sectors,” Boyd said. “This is a last-dollar program for them.”
Recipients of the initial grant will be capped at $500 in benefits.
Accelerate MS will choose the career paths for the program, should the organization choose to participate, Boyd said.
Boyd added that using opioid settlement funds allows the grant program to help those in recovery receive training that can result in a good paying job. While more broad funding is not currently available for the program, the senator said the hope is that grant or federal funding will be added in the near future.
According to the measure, participants in the program will be required to apply for all other state and federal grant programs available since UPSKILL is intended to provide those final dollars necessary to fund their education.
The conference report on the legislation was unanimously passed by both chambers.