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H. B. No. 841 *HR43/R2074* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Workforce Development;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Crosby, Arnold, Sanders,
Thompson, Williams
HOUSE BILL NO. 841
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI WORKFORCE INNOVATION 1
PERFORMANCE LOAN FUND; TO CREATE A ZERO-INTEREST, 2
PERFORMANCE-BASED FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE 3
WORKFORCE TRAINING INITIATIVES; TO PRESCRIBE ELIGIBILITY, LOAN 4
TERMS, PERFORMANCE METRICS, AND FORGIVENESS PROVISIONS; AND FOR 5
RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds that innovative workforce 8
training programs are critical to meeting the evolving needs of 9
Mississippi employers and workers, and that performance-based 10
financing models can expand access to training while safeguarding 11
public funds. The purpose of this act is to establish a 12
zero-interest, performance-based forgivable loan program that 13
incentivizes measurable employment outcomes and ensures 14
responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. 15
SECTION 2. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a 16
special fund to be designated as the "Mississippi Workforce 17
Innovation Performance Loan Fund", which shall consist of monies 18
appropriated or otherwise made available by the Legislature, loan 19
repayments, recaptured funds, grants, and any other funds 20
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designated for deposit therein. The fund shall be maintained by 21
the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and 22
apart from the General Fund of the state. Unexpended amounts 23
remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse 24
into the State General Fund, and any investment earnings or 25
interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the 26
credit of the fund. The fund shall be administered by the 27
Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), in coordination with the 28
Mississippi Department of Employment Security and other relevant 29
agencies as determined by the MDA. Monies in the fund shall be 30
expended by the MDA, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for 31
the purposes provided in this section. 32
(2) Loans from the fund may be awarded to eligible 33
applicants, including, but not limited to: 34
(a) Community and junior colleges; 35
(b) Institutions of higher learning; 36
(c) Nonprofit workforce training organizations 37
domiciled in Mississippi; 38
(d) Public-private partnerships; and 39
(e) Other entities approved by the MDA that demonstrate 40
capacity to deliver innovative workforce training. 41
(3) (a) Loans made under this section shall be 42
zero-interest loans. 43
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(b) Loan amounts shall not be less than Two Hundred 44
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) and shall not exceed One 45
Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) per approved project. 46
(c) Loan proceeds shall be used solely for eligible 47
workforce training costs, including curriculum development, 48
equipment, instruction, credentialing, and related program 49
expenses. 50
(4) (a) Loan forgiveness shall be based on verified 51
employment placement outcomes achieved by program participants 52
within a time period established by the MDA. 53
(b) Placement outcomes shall be verified through wage 54
records, employer confirmation, or other documentation approved by 55
the MDA. 56
(c) Loan forgiveness shall be determined as follows: 57
(i) Eighty percent (80%) or greater placement rate 58
shall result in one hundred percent (100%) loan forgiveness; 59
(ii) Seventy percent (70%) but less than eighty 60
percent (80%) placement rate shall result in partial loan 61
forgiveness, the percentage of which shall be established by rule; 62
and 63
(iii) Placement rates below seventy percent (70%) 64
shall result in no loan forgiveness, and the outstanding balance 65
shall be repaid in accordance with loan terms. 66
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ST: Mississippi Workforce Innovation
Performance Loan Fund; establish.
(5) (a) Any portion of a loan not forgiven shall be repaid 67
to the fund in accordance with repayment schedules established by 68
the MDA. 69
(b) Repayments shall be deposited into the Mississippi 70
Workforce Innovation Performance Loan Fund and made available for 71
future loans. 72
(c) The MDA may take necessary actions to enforce 73
repayment, consistent with state law and program rules. 74
(6) (a) The MDA shall establish an application process, 75
evaluation criteria, and approval procedures for loans issued 76
under this act. 77
(b) Loan recipients shall submit periodic performance 78
and financial reports as required by the MDA. 79
(c) The loan program and fund shall be subject to audit 80
by the Office of the State Auditor. 81
(7) The MDA may promulgate rules, guidelines, and procedures 82
necessary to implement and administer this act, including 83
definitions, verification standards, forgiveness schedules, and 84
enforcement provisions. 85
(8) This section shall be construed to promote innovation in 86
workforce training while protecting taxpayer dollars through 87
performance-based accountability. 88
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 89
and after July 1, 2026. 90