Committee backs plan to create Office of Business Workforce Solutions to help employers and training providers

The Senate Finance Committee on May 18 voted to report HB 951, a bill to create a stand‑alone, employer‑facing unit within state workforce agencies to coordinate employers, training providers and regional partners.

Susie Shaw, identified as Secretary of Louisiana Works, said the office will be funded through repurposed state and federal dollars and by reallocating existing staff; the agency expects to add an assistant secretary and a deputy assistant secretary to staff the unit. “We’re targeting July 2027 to have it fully functional, but we will have parts of it coming online really pretty quickly,” Shaw said, adding the entity would partner directly with businesses and regional providers to prevent skilled workers being pulled away from existing employers.

Barry Irwin of Leaders for a Better Louisiana said the initiative is the product of several months of collaboration with agency staff and called it “a game changer” for regional workforce outreach, arguing it will put “boots on the ground” in each region to help employers find solutions and coordinate training capacity.

Committee members pressed on accountability and metrics: Senator Presley and others sought clarity on outcome metrics such as employment, retention and wage changes; Secretary Shaw said the office would focus on end‑state employment metrics and work directly with employers to capture wages and retention data.

Senator Boudreaux moved the bill favorable with the understanding the program name would be amended on the Senate floor; the committee reported HB 951 payable (favorable with amendment to be filed later).

What’s next: The bill will go to the Senate floor; members expect a name amendment and asked authors to coordinate on the final language.