SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2016 SESSION

16101082D
HOUSE BILL NO. 66
Offered January 13, 2016
Prefiled December 4, 2015
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 23 a chapter numbered 4.03, consisting of sections numbered 23-38.10:14 through 23-38.10:17, relating to workforce development grants for earning certain workforce training credentials; New Economy Industry Credential Assistance Training Grants.
----------

Patrons-- Byron, Albo, Anderson, Austin, Bulova, Campbell, Carr, Cline, Collins, Cox, Davis, Dudenhefer, Edmunds, Fariss, Filler-Corn, Fowler, Garrett, Greason, Head, Helsel, Hodges, James, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, Landes, Leftwich, Lindsey, Marshall, D.W., Mason, Massie, McClellan, Murphy, O'Quinn, Pillion, Poindexter, Ransone, Robinson, Rush, Taylor, Villanueva, Ware, Wright, Yancey and Yost; Senator: Reeves
----------
Referred to Committee on Education
----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 23 a chapter numbered 4.03, consisting of sections numbered 23-38.10:14 through 23-38.10:17, as follows:

CHAPTER 4.03.
NEW ECONOMY INDUSTRY CREDENTIAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING GRANTS.

§ 23-38.10:14. Grants for obtaining workforce training credentials.

A. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Board" means the Virginia Board of Workforce Development.

"Credential" means a certification earned that has been approved by the Board, the passing of a licensure examination, or the passing of an occupational competency assessment.

"Eligible institution" means (i) a comprehensive community college, (ii) a private institution certified to operate in Virginia by SCHEV that has made a written election to participate in the grant program under this chapter, or (iii) the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, New College Institute, Roanoke Higher Education Center, Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, or Eastern Virginia Medical School.

"Grant" means a New Economy Industry Credential Assistance Training Grant.

"High-demand field" means an area, discipline, or field in which there is a shortage of skilled workers to fill current job vacancies or anticipated additional job openings as determined by the Board in consultation with business and industry representatives and local, regional, and state economic development agencies.

"SCHEV" means the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

"Student" means any individual who (i) is domiciled in the Commonwealth as provided in § 23-7.4, (ii) has successfully completed a noncredit workforce training program provided or sponsored by an eligible institution as a prerequisite of or in preparation for earning a credential, and (iii) subsequently earns the related credential in a high-demand field.

B. Noncredit workforce training programs for which grants may be paid shall be determined by the Board in consultation with business and industry representatives and local, regional, and state economic development agencies and may include programs that receive funding pursuant to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006, P.L. 109-270.

C. No grant shall be paid to the extent that the student received a scholarship or the student's employer paid or will pay for the noncredit workforce training program, any required textbooks for the program, or the cost of any examination required to earn the credential.

D. A student shall not receive more than one grant for the same or substantially related noncredit workforce training program, including the cost of any examination required to earn a credential.

§ 23-38.10:15. Applications for New Economy Industry Credential Assistance Training Grants.

A. Any student who has completed eight hours of community service and subsequently enrolls in a noncredit workforce training program provided or sponsored by (i) a comprehensive community college or (ii) the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, New College Institute, Roanoke Higher Education Center, Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, or Eastern Virginia Medical School may apply for a grant from the comprehensive community college or the institution that provided or sponsored the program. The comprehensive community college or the institution shall make a grant payment to the student in an aggregate amount of $1,000 upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the comprehensive community college or the institution of the student's payment of the tuition and cost of required textbooks relating to the credential and shall make an additional grant payment to the student in an aggregate amount of $1,000 upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the comprehensive community college or the institution of the student's payment of the examination fees related to the credential and the successful completion of the noncredit workforce training program.

The comprehensive community college or the institution then may request reimbursement from the Comptroller for the amount of the grant. The Comptroller shall reimburse the comprehensive community college or the institution as soon as practicable.

B. Any student who has completed eight hours of community service and subsequently enrolls in a noncredit workforce training program provided or sponsored by a private institution certified to operate in Virginia by SCHEV shall be eligible for a grant provided that the private institution has made a written election to participate in the grant program under this chapter. The election shall be made on a form prescribed by SCHEV. Any such private institution making the election shall submit the completed form to the Director of SCHEV, or his designee, who shall promptly furnish the Comptroller with a copy of the same.

The private institution shall make a grant payment to the student in an aggregate amount of $1,000 upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the private institution of the student's payment of the tuition and cost of required textbooks relating to the credential and shall make an additional grant payment to the student in an aggregate amount of $1,000 upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the private institution of the student's payment of the examination fees related to the credential and the successful completion of the noncredit workforce training program.

The private institution then may request reimbursement from the Comptroller for the amount of the grant. The Comptroller shall reimburse the private institution as soon as practicable.

C. The Comptroller shall place a cap on grants per participating institution to ensure that grants paid under this chapter do not exceed the fiscal-year appropriation in the general appropriation act for the payment of such grants.

§ 23-38.10:16. Board of Workforce Development to keep a list of high-demand fields and certifications.

The Board shall maintain and update a list of high-demand fields and the related credentials on its website. The Board shall also maintain and update on its website a list of industry certifications that qualify as credentials.

§ 23-38.10:17. Virginia Community College System to develop guidelines.

The Virginia Community College System, in consultation with the Board, the Comptroller, and SCHEV, shall develop, publish, and update guidelines implementing the provisions of this chapter. The guidelines shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on January 1, 2017.