MS HB1530

Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, Mississippi Community College Board, and State Workforce Investment Board shall jointly develop and annually update the Career Pathways Initiative plan.

Initiative shall increase low-income parents' and individuals' access to education credentials for higher-paying jobs, improve workforce preparedness for high-skill positions, and develop training courses based on consultation with local employers and workforce boards.

Resources shall be allocated based on performance incentives including participant enrollment, course completion, job placement in targeted categories, and job retention in those categories.

Initiative shall use available Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for participants with custody or legal responsibility for a child under age 21 whose family income is below 250% of the federal poverty level.

Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall contract with state agencies, two-year colleges, local governments, and private or community organizations to provide education and training resulting in job training certificates or higher education degrees for low-income adults; TANF funds may be combined with other federal, state, and local funds consistent with federal law.