Community and junior colleges; expand workforce development partnerships.

H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 1 (DJ\KW)

To: Workforce Development;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Brown

HOUSE BILL NO. 873

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD TO 1
ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A 21ST CENTURY EMPLOYMENT GRANT PROGRAM 2
FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND 3
JUNIOR COLLEGES AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS; TO 4
STIPULATE THE CRITERIA FOR GRANT QUALIFICATIONS; TO PROVIDE FOR 5
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE 6
FOR REVIEWING THE PROGRESS OF GRANT RECIPIENTS, PRESCRIBE 7
GUIDELINES FOR THE TYPES OF CERTIFICATES TO BE PURSUED BY 8
COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGES THAT WOULD BENEFIT CURRENT EMPLOYER 9
AND FUTURE EMPLOYERS LOOKING TO LOCATE IN THE STATE; AND FOR 10
RELATED PURPOSES. 11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 12
SECTION 1. (1) Subject to appropriation, the Mississippi 13
Community College Board shall establish and administer a 21st 14
Century Employment Grant Program. To qualify for a grant, a 15
community or junior college district must jointly establish a 16
collaborative regional partnership with workforce development 17
organizations, including community-based organizations with a 18
vested interest in the workforce, regional economic development 19
organizations and economic development officials in the community 20
or junior college district, along with manufacturers, healthcare 21
service providers and innovative technology businesses that have a 22
H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 2 (DJ\KW)

presence in the district, to provide a manufacturing training 23
program. A grant recipient must provide the Mississippi Community 24
College Board with a plan that meets all of the following 25
requirements: 26
(a) The plan shall define specific goals that a student 27
must meet upon graduation. 28
(b) The plan shall include the type of professional 29
skills that will be taught in order for the students to gain and 30
retain employment. The professional skills curriculum in the 31
program shall include, but not be limited to, training on all of 32
the following: 33
(i) Effective communication skills; 34
(ii) Teamwork; 35
(iii) Dependability; 36
(iv) Adaptability; 37
(v) Conflict resolution; 38
(vi) Flexibility; 39
(vii) Leadership; 40
(viii) Problem-solving; 41
(ix) Research; 42
(x) Creativity; 43
(xi) Work ethic; and 44
(xii) Integrity. 45
In awarding grants under this section, the Mississippi 46
Community College Board must give priority to plans that 47
H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 3 (DJ\KW)

demonstrate a formal articulation agreement between a community or 48
junior college and an industry sector employer. 49
(c) The plan shall include a budget that includes any 50
outside donations, including any in-kind donations, made to help 51
the program, including from nonprofit entities and individuals. 52
(d) The plan shall include the proposed number of 53
individuals who would be enrolled in the program, along with the 54
places that those individuals could be employed at after 55
graduation and what industries would be targeted. The plan must 56
support a seamless transition into higher education and career 57
opportunities and must outline the college credit and on-the-job 58
training hours that will transfer from the high school to a 59
community college. 60
(e) The plan shall require a private-public partnership 61
clause that requires private businesses to contribute an amount 62
determined by the Mississippi Community College Board and the 63
collaborative regional partnership that does not exceed forty 64
percent (40%) of the amount of the total project. The applicant 65
must provide the Mississippi Community College Board with a 66
receipt of contributions from businesses to evidence compliance 67
with this paragraph. However, businesses may contribute equipment 68
or offer their facilities, in which case a business shall 69
establish a cost of use of its facility, to meet the requirements 70
of this paragraph. 71
H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 4 (DJ\KW)

(f) The plan shall indicate the certificates that the 72
community or junior college will offer to students upon 73
graduation, as agreed to by the collaborative regional 74
partnership. The community or junior college shall offer no less 75
than six (6) types of industry-recognized certificates. 76
(2) (a) The Mississippi Community College Board shall 77
establish an advisory board for the grant program established 78
under subsection (1) that consists of all of the following 79
members: 80
(i) The President of Mississippi Economic Council; 81
(ii) The Executive Director of the Mississippi 82
Community College Board; 83
(iii) The State Superintendent of Public 84
Education; 85
(iv) The Executive Director of the Mississippi 86
Department of Employment Security; 87
(v) Two (2) Senators appointed by the Lieutenant 88
Governor; 89
(vi) Two (2) Representatives appointed by the 90
Speaker of the House of Representatives; 91
(vii) A member from a statewide organization that 92
represents manufacturing companies throughout the state, appointed 93
by the Governor; 94
H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 5 (DJ\KW)

(viii) A member who represents at-risk students, 95
including, but not limited to, opportunity youth, appointed by the 96
Governor; 97
(ix) A member from a statewide organization that 98
represents multiple employee unions in the state, appointed by the 99
Governor; 100
(x) A member from a trade union, appointed by the 101
Governor; 102
(xi) A member from a statewide organization that 103
represents the business community, appointed by the Governor; 104
(xii) A member from a statewide organization that 105
represents service employees in the state, appointed by the 106
Governor; 107
(xiii) Educators representing various regions of 108
the state from professional teachers' organizations, appointed by 109
the Governor; 110
(xiv) A member from a statewide organization that 111
represents hospitals in the state, appointed by the Governor; 112
(xv) A president of a community or junior college, 113
appointed by the Governor; and 114
(xvi) A district superintendent of a high school 115
district, appointed by the Governor. 116
(b) The members of the advisory board shall serve 117
without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable 118
and necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the Mississippi 119
H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 6 (DJ\KW)

Community College Board for that purpose, including travel, 120
subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board. 121
(c) The advisory board shall meet at the call of the 122
Mississippi Community College Board and shall report to the 123
Mississippi Community College Board. The Mississippi Community 124
College Board shall provide administrative and other support to 125
the advisory board. For the purpose of conducting business, a 126
quorum shall be established by the attendance and presence of 127
twelve (12) advisory board members. 128
(3) The advisory board established under subsection (2) 129
shall have all of the following duties: 130
(a) To review the progress made by each grant 131
recipient, including, but not limited to, the gainful-employment 132
success rate, how many students remain employed for how long, and 133
how many students went on to receive higher manufacturing 134
certificates; 135
(b) To review how many students went on to complete a 136
paid internship or apprenticeship upon graduation; 137
(c) To compile a list of programs offered by each 138
community or junior college; 139
(d) To analyze whether the certificates are closing 140
the gap in education for the current needs of the labor force, and 141
to offer suggestions on how to close the gap if one (1) still 142
exists; 143
H. B. No. 873 *HR26/R1137* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1137
PAGE 7 (DJ\KW)
ST: Community and junior colleges; expand
workforce development partnerships.
(e) To suggest certificates that could help future 144
employers looking to locate in the state; 145
(f) To offer guidelines for the types of certificates 146
that a community or junior college should pursue; and 147
(g) To offer possible rules to the Mississippi 148
Community College Board that the grant process should follow. 149
(4) The Mississippi Community College Board may adopt any 150
rules necessary for the purposes of this section. 151
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 152
and after July 1, 2026. 153