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H. B. No. 105 *HR26/R161* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Workforce Development
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Johnson
HOUSE BILL NO. 105
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF 1
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS 2
OF HIGHER LEARNING, THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD AND 3
THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD TO WORK JOINTLY TO DEVELOP A 4
PLAN TO BE KNOWN AS THE "CAREER PATHWAYS INITIATIVE"; TO REQUIRE 5
THE INITIATIVE TO INCREASE THE ACCESS OF LOW-INCOME PARENTS AND 6
OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO EDUCATION CREDENTIALS THAT QUALIFY THEM FOR 7
HIGHER-PAYING JOBS IN THEIR LOCAL AREAS, IMPROVE THE PREPAREDNESS 8
OF THE MISSISSIPPI WORKFORCE FOR HIGH-SKILL AND HIGH-WAGE JOBS, 9
DEVELOP TRAINING COURSES AND EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS AFTER 10
CONSULTING LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARDS TO IDENTIFY 11
APPROPRIATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDED SKILLS AND TRAINING TO 12
MEET EMPLOYERS' NEEDS, PROVIDE RESOURCES ON THE BASIS OF 13
PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES, INCLUDING PARTICIPANTS ENROLLING IN 14
COURSES, COMPLETING THE COURSES, OBTAINING JOBS IN THE TARGETED 15
JOB CATEGORIES, AND STAYING EMPLOYED IN THE TARGETED JOB 16
CATEGORIES; TO REQUIRE THE INITIATIVE TO USE AVAILABLE TEMPORARY 17
ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) FUNDS FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO 18
HAVE CUSTODY OR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CHILD UNDER TWENTY-ONE 19
YEARS OF AGE AND WHOSE FAMILY INCOME IS LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED 20
FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD 21
OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO CONTRACT 22
FOR THE PROVIDING OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING THAT WILL RESULT IN 23
JOB TRAINING CERTIFICATES OR HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES FOR 24
LOW-INCOME ADULTS WITH STATE AGENCIES, TWO-YEAR COLLEGES, LOCAL 25
GOVERNMENTS OR PRIVATE OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS; TO AUTHORIZE 26
TANF FUNDS TO BE COMBINED WITH OTHER FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL 27
FUNDS IN WAYS CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN 28
ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND 29
FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 30
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 31
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds that: 32
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(a) Higher education credentials are: 33
(i) Becoming increasingly important for the State 34
of Mississippi to maintain a competitive workforce; and 35
(ii) Critical for adults to qualify and obtain 36
high-wage employment; and 37
(b) It is in the public interest that: 38
(i) Individuals improve their education 39
credentials in order to qualify for higher-wage jobs; 40
(ii) Eligible persons have access to postsecondary 41
education programs that meet the specific needs of working adults; 42
(iii) Institutions of higher education offer 43
programs targeted to the specific workforce needs of their area 44
within the state; and 45
(iv) Our state provides services aimed at 46
improving employment prospects for low-income adults. 47
(2) (a) (i) The Mississippi Department of Employment 48
Security, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 49
Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board and the State 50
Workforce Investment Board shall work jointly to develop a plan to 51
be known as the "Career Pathways Initiative." 52
(ii) The plan must be updated annually. 53
(b) The initiative must: 54
(i) Increase the access of low-income parents and 55
other individuals to education credentials that qualify them for 56
higher-paying jobs in their local areas; 57
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(ii) Improve the preparedness of the Mississippi 58
workforce for high-skill and high-wage jobs; 59
(iii) Develop training courses and educational 60
credentials after consulting local employers and local workforce 61
boards to identify appropriate job opportunities and needed skills 62
and training to meet employers' needs; 63
(iv) Provide resources on the basis of performance 64
incentives, including participants: 65
1. Enrolling in courses; 66
2. Completing the courses; 67
3. Obtaining jobs in the targeted job 68
categories; and 69
4. Staying employed in the targeted job 70
categories; and 71
(v) Use available Temporary Assistance for Needy 72
Families (TANF) funds for participants who have custody or legal 73
responsibility for a child under twenty-one (21) years of age and 74
whose family income is less than two hundred fifty percent (250%) 75
of the federal poverty level. 76
(3) The initiative plan is subject to review, recommendation 77
and approval by the State Workforce Investment Board. 78
(4) Under the initiative, the Board of Trustees of State 79
Institutions of Higher Learning shall contract to provide 80
education and training that will result in job training 81
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ST: Career pathways initiative; provide for
development of to increase access to educational
credentials for higher-paying jobs.
certificates or higher education degrees for low-income adults 82
with: 83
(a) State agencies; 84
(b) Two-year colleges; 85
(c) Local governments; or 86
(d) Private or community organizations. 87
(5) (a) The initiative plan must specify procedures and 88
requirements for applications for entry into programs under 89
subsection (4) of this section. 90
(b) Applications must be made to the Board of Trustees 91
of State Institutions of Higher Learning. 92
(6) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 93
Learning shall determine which two-year college proposals are 94
funded under the initiative. 95
(7) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds may 96
be combined with other federal, state and local funds in ways 97
consistent with federal laws and regulations in order to provide 98
more funding for the provisions of this section. 99
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 100
and after July 1, 2026. 101