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HLS 26RS-1170 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 951
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAMBURG
LABOR: Provides with respect to the creation of an Office of the Louisiana Talent
Accelerator within Louisiana Works
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 39:1554(T) and to enact R.S. 23:2065(A)(12) through (17) and
3 2092(A)(3) and R.S. 36:308(E), relative to a talent accelerator program; to create the
4 Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator within Louisiana Works; to provide for
5 duties and functions of the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council in conjunction
6 with the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator; to create the Business
7 Workforce Committee; to exclude the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator
8 from the state procurement code; to provide for the purposes and functions of the
9 Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator; and to provide for related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 23:2065(A)(12) through (17) and 2092(A)(3) are hereby enacted to
12 read as follows:
13 §2065. Council duties and functions
14 A. The council shall do all of the following:
15 * * *
16 (12) Provide oversight to ensure the state's workforce programs and
17 resources are aligned to meet employer and labor market needs.
18 (13) Work to integrate other state agencies and workforce initiatives into a
19 coordinated system.
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1 (14) Oversee the coordination of training programs and workforce funding
2 statewide.
3 (15) Ensure cooperation among agencies engaged in workforce training.
4 (16) Through the Business Workforce Committee, recommend performance
5 metrics for the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator.
6 (17) Ensure that outcomes are result-oriented and tied to employer needs.
7 * * *
8 §2092. Organizational structure of standing committees
9 A.
10 * * *
11 (3)(a) The Business Workforce Committee shall be a committee of the
12 council.
13 (b) The Business Workforce Committee shall be composed of seven
14 members with a majority of the members being business representatives.
15 (c) The Business Workforce Committee shall do all of the following:
16 (i) Serve as the advisory committee to the Office of the Louisiana Talent
17 Accelerator.
18 (ii) Provide input on the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator's annual
19 plan of work.
20 (iii) Recommend candidates for the assistant secretary position within the
21 Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator to the secretary of Louisiana Works,
22 which shall be forwarded to the governor by the secretary for consideration.
23 (iv) Recommend performance metrics for the assistant secretary.
24 (v) Report annually to the council on the Office of the Louisiana Talent
25 Accelerator's results.
26 Section 2. R.S. 36:308(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
27 §308. Offices; purposes and functions
28 * * *
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1 E.(1) The Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator herein referred to as
2 "the office" shall perform the functions of the state relating to business-related
3 workforce services, providing both strategy and coordination of state, regional, and
4 local workforce service providers across the state. The office shall manage business-
5 related programs including Business Services, the Incumbent Worker Training
6 Program, and federal funding related to layoff aversion and response, as well as other
7 business-related programs and funding administered by Louisiana Works to be
8 determined at the discretion of the secretary.
9 (2) The office shall perform all of the following functions of the state:
10 (a) Assisting businesses in accessing training resources and identifying
11 sources of talent from all local and statewide programs.
12 (b) Reviewing and mapping existing workforce programs statewide across
13 all agencies, schools, postsecondary education, apprenticeships, training programs,
14 nonprofits, and local and regional partners.
15 (c) Coordinating state agencies to ensure high quality, integrated regional
16 workforce solutions are provided and taking into account the separate roles and
17 responsibilities of each agency.
18 (d) Coordinating workforce services on a statewide and regional basis.
19 (e) Managing federal and state workforce development funds to support
20 business needs in high-demand, high-salary jobs and priority industry sectors.
21 (f) Aligning state and regional workforce development services with state
22 and regional economic development goals.
23 (g) Building customized workforce solutions for new and existing
24 companies, in partnership with state departments, educational institutions, and other
25 governmental and nongovernmental institutions and organizations.
26 (h) Assisting businesses in building talent pipelines through middle school
27 career exposure, high school internship and apprenticeship, registered
28 apprenticeship, college internships, and pre-employment recruitment and training.
29 (i) Developing industry-specific training partnerships.
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1 (j) Expanding work-based learning including apprenticeship programs.
2 (k) Promulgating rules and regulations.
3 (l) Providing financial oversight of workforce development programs.
4 (m) Developing operational policies subject to oversight from the secretary
5 and the Business Workforce Committee.
6 (n) Entering into contracts and agreements.
7 (o) Accepting grants, donations, and other funding resources.
8 (p) Coordinating with economic development organizations, agencies, and
9 education providers.
10 (q) Providing regular workforce development reports including performance
11 data and economic impact analysis.
12 (r) Entering into non-disclosure agreements when it involves proprietary or
13 confidential information related to economic development projects.
14 (s) Linking talent development to business recruitment, retention, and
15 expansion.
16 Section 3. R.S. 39:1554(T) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
17 §1554. Application of this Chapter
18 * * *
19 T.(1) This Chapter shall not apply to Louisiana Economic Development;
20 however, Louisiana Economic Development shall be required to continue as a
21 LaGov agency and shall adopt procurement provisions pursuant to rules adopted in
22 accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The rules created by Louisiana
23 Economic Development pursuant to this Subsection shall be subject to the approval
24 of the commissioner of administration before they are sent to committees required
25 for review of agency rules in R.S. 49:966(B)(1). In addition, the House Committee
26 on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance shall also have authority
27 for review of agency rules as provided in R.S. 49:950 et seq.
28 (2) At the discretion of the secretary of Louisiana Works, this Chapter shall
29 not apply to the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator within Louisiana Works;
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1 however, the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator shall be required to continue
2 as an office within Louisiana Works and shall adopt procurement provisions
3 pursuant to rules adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The
4 rules created by the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator pursuant to this
5 Subsection shall be subject to the approval of the commissioner of administration
6 before the rules are sent to committees required by R.S. 49:966(B)(1). In addition,
7 the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance shall
8 have the authority to review any rules in accordance with R.S. 49:950 et seq.
9 * * *
10 Section 4. It is the intent of the legislature to create a new office within Louisiana
11 Works, which shall be known as the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator, for the
12 purpose of performing functions of the state relating to business workforce solutions under
13 the guidance and oversight of the secretary of Louisiana Works. The Office of the Louisiana
14 Talent Accelerator shall serve as the primary office for business-related workforce solutions
15 and development, managing funding and programs, and providing both strategy and
16 coordination of state, regional, and local workforce service providers across the state.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 951 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Bamburg
Abstract: Creates the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator within La. Works and
provides for the duties, functions, and operation of the office.
Present law provides a list of duties and functions that the La. Workforce Investment
Council (council) shall perform.
Proposed law adds the following duties and functions to the aforementioned list:
(1) Provide oversight to ensure the state's workforce programs and resources are aligned
to meet employer and labor market needs.
(2) Work to integrate other state agencies and workforce initiatives into a coordinated
system.
(3) Oversee the coordination of training programs and workforce funding statewide.
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HLS 26RS-1170 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 951
(4) Ensure cooperation among agencies engaged in workforce training.
(5) Through the Business Workforce Committee, recommend performance metrics for
the Office of the La. Talent Accelerator (office).
(6) Ensure that outcomes are result-oriented and tied to employer needs.
Present law provides a list of standing committees within the council.
Proposed law adds the Business Workforce Committee as a committee of the council.
Proposed law provides that the Business Workforce Committee shall be composed of seven
members with a majority of the members being business representatives.
Proposed law requires the Business Workforce Committee to perform all of the following
duties:
(1) Serve as the advisory committee to the office.
(2) Provide input on the office's annual plan of work.
(3) Recommend candidates for the assistant secretary position within the office to the
secretary of La. Works.
(4) Recommend performance metrics for the assistant secretary.
(5) Report annually to the council on the office's results.
Proposed law provides for the functions of the office.
Proposed law provides that the office shall be exempted from the La. Procurement Code;
however, the office shall be required to continue as an office and allowed to adopt
procurement provisions in accordance with present law (R.S. 49:950 et seq.)
Proposed law requires any rules created by the office to be subject to approval by the
commissioner of administration before being sent to committees as required by present law
(R.S. 49:966(B)(1)).
Proposed law provides that the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate
Committee on Finance shall have the authority to review any rules in accordance with
present law (R.S. 49:950 et seq.)
(Amends R.S. 39:1554(T); Adds R.S. 23:2065(A)(12)-(17) and 2092(A)(3) and R.S.
36:308(E))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Labor and Industrial
Relations to the original bill:
1. Rename the office of the talent accelerator to the Office of the La. Talent
Accelerator.
2. Add the function of requiring the office to manage certain business-related
programs and funding administered by La. Works based upon the secretary of
La. Works' discretion.
3. Make technical and title changes.
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