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Committee members push occupational-licensure reforms and a April job fair to aid reentry workforce access
Summary
Agency and education representatives briefed the Joint Interim Committees on workforce initiatives — including an April state-agency job fair and an occupational-licensure bill — aimed at helping people leaving incarceration access training and jobs.
During the Joint Interim Committees meeting, agency representatives and education partners highlighted workforce activities intended to support people returning from incarceration, including an April state-agency job fair and an occupational-licensure bill designed to reduce licensing barriers for people with convictions.
Why it matters: Committee members said easier access to training and licensure would remove structural barriers that prevent qualified people from entering the workforce and that coordinated hiring drives can place reentry program graduates into stable jobs.
A representative from state workforce agencies described plans to hold a consolidated state-agency hiring event at the state multiplex in April and said agency career-center and day-report-center connections have drawn national attention at a NASWA (National Association of State Workforce Agencies) presentation. The workforce representative said the state was nominated nationally for workforce-training innovation and that the Career Center–Day Report Center linkage is being promoted as a model.
Annette, representing Ingram State Technical College, told the committee she is “a big passionate believer” in the occupational-licensure bill now moving through the process and urged the committee to include licensure reform among its recommendations to help remove automatic exclusions from employment for people with convictions.
Committee members agreed to compile concrete proposals from each member by the March meeting so staff can prepare an April report for the legislature during Second Chance Month. Staff said they would create a submission portal and circulate minutes and guidance to agencies and community partners to support an open, collaborative process.
Next steps: Committee staff will solicit written proposals, prepare a consolidated package for March review, and aim to publish or roll out recommendations during April. No formal vote was taken at the meeting.
