Gov. Asa Hutchinson is scheduled to sign legislation today at 12:30 p.m. overhauling the state’s workforce education programs.
Another piece of legislation, outlawing the “rehoming” of adopted children, is also due to be signed into law at some point today, a spokesman for the governor’s office says.
Senate Bill 891 establishes The Workforce Initiative Act of 2015.
Sponsored by state Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock, it would set up a fund in the state Department of Higher Education that will accept competitive applications for regional economic development and workforce development initiatives.
The Higher Education Department would set funding priorities.
The first phase would seek requests for proposals from alliances consisting of technical institutes, community colleges, universities, the K-12 education system, educational cooperatives and employers, with input from local workforce investment boards, to receive planning grants of up to $100,000.
The second phase would provide implementation grants. The third phase would provide continuation grants to phase two recipients that meet or exceed outcome measures.
Supporters say there is $15 million for the grant programs that would be available through the Higher Education and Career Education departments, set aside by former Gov. Mike Beebe.
The rehoming legislation, House Bill 1676, by state Rep. David Meeks, R-Conway, would make “rehoming” a felony. Hutchinson signed a companion piece of legislation, HB1648, by state Rep. Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, into law Thursday.
The bills were both filed in early March, shortly after a story by the Arkansas Times detailed the re-homing of two adopted daughters, ages 3 and 5, by Rep. Justin Harris, R-West Fork, to an employee at his day care center, Eric Cameron Francis.
Francis, a former youth pastor, was eventually arrested in the sexual abuse of the oldest of the two girls. Late last year, he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and is now serving a 40-year prison sentence.
Read Tuesday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.