Committee backs doubling of per-trainee caps in dual training bill; sponsors lay bill over

Chair Wolgamott presented House File 2767 to increase maximum grant amounts and per-employee caps for Minnesota’s dual training competency grant program. The sponsor explained the bill raises per-grant and per-employee limits to better cover tuition and training costs and to leverage additional employer match dollars.

Supporters from healthcare and hospitals testified about workforce shortages. Danny Eckert of the Minnesota Hospital Association said the dual training program is a key earn-and-learn tool and that current program limits sometimes constrain employer participation; he estimated more than 25,000 open jobs across eligible occupations and said 16,000 of those vacancies are in health care alone. Abigail Knees, a nurse and clinical supervisor at Children’s Minnesota, described the program’s role in recruiting and retaining staff and said the system allowed Children’s Minnesota to support 34 trainees with 21 moving into medical assistant and CNA roles.

Committee action: the committee adopted an A-1 author’s amendment that removed the appropriation and made the bill a policy-only change with no immediate cost to the higher education budget. Members discussed employer match levels and program structure; Chair Rehrig suggested reverting employer match from 25% back to 50% as a potential way to reduce program misuse by large employers.

Next steps: sponsors said the increases were intended to meet demand and expand participation; the bill was laid over for further consideration and possible adjustment to employer match rules.