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Senate adopts workforce bill with $1.5 million apprenticeship boost and changes to high‑demand jobs rules
Summary
The Senate adopted Senate File 2168 and its amendments, including amendment s 52 33 which preserves a $1,500,000 increase for the apprenticeship training fund, moves funding decisions to the education budget, and institutes a four‑year sunset and a three‑year review cycle for the high‑demand jobs list. The passage was unanimous, 40‑0.
The Senate on the floor passed Senate File 2168, a workforce measure, after adopting a House amendment and a subsequent amendment to that amendment.
Senator Dickey (Senator from Jefferson) said SF 2168 is an IWD (workforce) department bill and described amendment s 52 33, which removes one division from the bill, retains a $1,500,000 increase for the apprenticeship training program fund and places funding for a proposed career training expansion under the education budget. "This amendment retains the $1,500,000 increase for the apprenticeship training program fund," Dickey said in opening remarks.
The amendment also adds a four‑year sunset for the program so lawmakers can assess changes in demand and shortens the review cycle for the high‑demand jobs list from five years to three to better align with typical two‑year community college degree programs. The amendment retains the requirement that the state workforce development board collaborate with community colleges when forming the high‑demand jobs list.
After final remarks, Senator Dickey moved adoption of amendment s 52 33 to s 51 87; the amendment was adopted by voice vote. The Senate then concurred in the House amendment s 51 87 and moved SF 2168, as amended, to final reading. The roll call recorded 40 yeas and 0 nays; the bill was declared to have passed the Senate and the title was agreed to. The Senate granted unanimous consent to immediately message SF 2168 to the House.
Why it matters: The change preserves a targeted increase to apprenticeship funding while shifting the proposed career training expansion’s funding question to the education budget and adding automatic review points, which could affect program continuity and oversight. The three‑year review cycle aims to better match community college program lengths and update the jobs list more frequently.
Next steps: The Senate has messaged the bill to the House for further action; no additional procedural steps were recorded on the floor during this session.
