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Appropriations Sends Cluster of Career Readiness Bills to Floor
Another panel has signed off on multiple pieces of legislation aimed to boost Louisiana’s talent pipeline and prepare students for in-demand jobs. The House Appropriations Committee handled a handful of bills Tuesday already endorsed by the House Education Committee, swiftly approving them as well. All of the measures considered carry the LA Driven-Approved designation.
HB 325 by Rep. Ken Brass (D-Vacherie) adds a third academic pathway for students pursuing a TOPS-Tech award by recognizing early college credit earned through dual enrollment or other validated skills-based learning measures. A student can complete at least nine credit hours of early college credit attained through dual enrollment courses or another approved pathway. The bill was amended to make eligible part-time students. Richard Nelson, Louisiana Career and Technical Colleges (LCTC) president, testified that the majority of LCTC students split their time between school and the workforce and allowing them to apply for TOPS-Tech will make graduation a reality for many.
HB 325 was amended to include a portion of HB 482 by Rep. Chris Turner (R-Ruston), but the provision increasing the maximum TOPS-Tech award to $4,500 was left out. Since the two bills largely overlap, Rep. Turner deferred HB 482, effectively parking it for the remainder of the session.
The Committee also approved HB 807—a major workforce training investment by establishing the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges. The measure is designed to expand instructor capacity and strengthen training pipelines for high-wage, high-demand jobs across the state. The program would also be installed at LSU Eunice and Southern Shreveport. A representative from Dow, a valued LABI member, testified in support of this measure.
Finally, HB 992 by Rep. Barbara Freiberg (R-Baton Rouge), was approved in a matter of moments as it ended up not including any items of fiscal concern. The bill would create continuity in student tracking by extending existing K-12 identification practices into early childhood education, giving policymakers and stakeholders better data on what programs are working—and where improvements are needed. Rep. Freiberg confirmed DOE would not need to hire an additional staffer to handle this expansion, thus no need for an increase in funds.
House Approps will meet again Wednesday, where two additional LA Driven-Approved measures are on the agenda:
- HB 316 by Rep. John Wyble (R-Bogalusa) expands Louisiana’s successful literacy instructor training program from grades K-3 to grades 4-8, helping ensure stronger long-term reading outcomes across more grade levels.
- HB 549 by Rep. Stephanie Berault (R-Slidell) creates the Bayou Growth Opportunity Workforce Program (BayouWorks). This employer-driven initiative was conceptualized, shaped and championed by LABI to directly address Louisiana’s workforce shortages by delivering rapid, targeted training. BayouWorks is designed to help businesses meet immediate workforce needs, compete for new investment and fully capitalize on Louisiana’s historic economic development opportunities.