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JFAC approves credit-mobility supplemental and funds workforce capacity grant; larger $15 million substitute fails
Summary
The committee approved a $20,000 supplemental for a credit-mobility grant and recommended funding for a public‑private workforce capacity grant under the State Board of Education; a substitute proposal to increase the workforce grant to $15 million failed on a roll call.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on March 11 approved a $20,000 supplemental appropriation to the Office of the State Board of Education for a credit‑mobility grant covering January–December of the current year, and advanced a fiscal 2026 package that includes ongoing funding for a public‑private workforce capacity grant.
Dr. Campbell, representing the State Board of Education, described the supplemental as a one‑year grant to support credit transferability between institutions. Representative Petzke moved the $20,000 supplemental from the miscellaneous revenue fund for fiscal 2025; Senator Woodward seconded. The motion passed on a roll call that ultimately recorded 17 ayes and 3 nays across both chambers after Senator Zetterfeld changed her vote on the record.
Later in the hearing, Representative Petzke moved a fiscal 2026 JFAC program‑maintenance package for the State Board that included one FTE (database engineer), cybersecurity and software support contracts, marketing and credit‑mobility grant funds, replacement vehicle funding, OITS hardware and a $5,000,000 ongoing general‑fund line described as trustee and benefit payments for a public‑private workforce capacity grant. The motion totaled $5,229,200 from the general fund and $131,500 from dedicated funds as read on the record. Members debated the size of the workforce capacity grant: a substitute motion from Senator Wintrow to increase that grant to $15,000,000 was seconded but failed on a roll call (2 ayes, 18 nays).
After the substitute motion failed, the committee returned to the original motion. Members who supported funding said the package was a compromise reached in a working group and emphasized workforce shortages—particularly in engineering and health professions—cited by several members. Senator Ward Engelking, a co‑chair of the working group, and Dr. Campbell discussed language on the screen tied to the funding; that language requests reports on credit and transcript mobility and addresses outcome‑based funding for higher education and community colleges, plus reappropriation authority and conditions.
The committee ultimately recorded a do‑pass recommendation on the State Board fiscal 2026 package. Committee leadership said the motion will proceed with committee language that asks the State Board to develop policy guidance on credit mobility and outcome‑based funding and to report back to JFAC.
