Committee approves credit‑mobility supplemental and backs smaller workforce capacity package after substitute fails

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on March 11 approved a $20,000 supplemental for the State Board of Education to support a credit mobility grant and later approved a separate fiscal‑year 2026 funding package that includes $5.23 million in general‑fund items and other adjustments for the office.

Dr. Campbell, representing the State Board of Education, described the credit‑mobility grant as “a 1 year grant that runs from January of this year to December of this year, covering 2 fiscal years. And it, the State Board of Education applied to this to support its work, ensuring that credits are, transferable between institutions.” The committee moved a $20,000 supplemental from miscellaneous revenue for fiscal year 2025; Representative Petzke made the motion and Senator Woodward seconded it. On roll call the committee recorded 17 ayes and 3 nays (Senate 8 ayes, 2 nays; House 9 ayes, 1 nay) and issued a do‑pass recommendation.

For fiscal year 2026, Representative Petzke moved a broader package that included 1 FTE and $5,229,200 from the general fund plus $131,500 from dedicated funds (a total the motion stated as $5,360,700), additions for IT and cybersecurity contracts, vehicle replacements and a $5,000,000 ongoing general‑fund trustee/benefit payment for a public‑private workforce capacity grant. The committee debated a substitute motion to increase the public‑private workforce capacity grant to $15,000,000. Senator Wintrow (the substitute maker) and supporters argued for larger investments to address wait lists and workforce shortages; supporters said institutions have long waiting lists in health and technical fields and that capacity funding would expand seats.

The substitute motion to raise the workforce capacity grant to $15 million failed on a roll call: 2 ayes, 18 nays, 0 absent. The committee then returned to the original motion, which later received a majority and was forwarded with a do‑pass recommendation. Committee members and co‑chairs asked the State Board to prepare language and reports: the approved language requests a report on credit and transcript mobility, includes two sections on outcome‑based funding (one for colleges and universities and another for community colleges) and sets reappropriation and limitation conditions. The committee repeatedly noted these discussions had been underway for several sessions and asked the board to produce policy recommendations rather than the committee setting policy directly.