General Assembly Wrap Up 2023: Workforce Issues

HB 1064 - Brewer - SB 628 - Stanley

Public School Trades Incentive Fund and Program; created and established, rules and procedures. Failed – These bills would have provided grants on a competitive basis to any school board that seeks to (i) establish, expand, or restore high school programs that teach students skilled trades that lead to earning industry-recognized certifications or credentials or (ii) establish, expand, or restore middle school programs that encourage and recruit students to participate in high school programs that teach students skilled trades that lead to earning industry-recognized certifications or credentials. The House passed HB 1064 96-4. Both bills were eventually defeated in the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

HB 1695 - Simonds - Public high schools; established a career coach at each high school . Failed. This bill would have required each school board to employ at least one career coach in each public high school in the local school division whose duties are required to include assisting students with securing internships, externships, and credentialing opportunities as required by the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, providing students with information on apprenticeship programs, and connecting students to career opportunities. It was defeated in the House Education Committee K-12 Subcommittee.

HB 2002 - Filler-Corn - Workers' compensation; premium discounts for employers providing high-quality work-based learning. Failed.  This legislation allowed  an insurer providing workers' compensation coverage to provide a premium discount of up to five percent to every employer certified by the Department of Education as a high-quality work-based learning employer. It was stricken at the request of the patron.

HB 2195 - Byron - SB 1470 - Ruff Workforce development; consolidation of policies and programs. Passed.  The workforce reorganization and streamlining bills create the new Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. In addition to the new agency, the legislation consolidates statewide workforce program evaluation and data sharing, and transfers the following programs to the new agency:  

• Title I (workforce development activities) and Title III (employment services and labor exchange services) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA);  
• The Trade Adjustment Assistance program;  
• The Jobs for Veterans State Grant program;  
• The Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment program;   
• Registered Apprenticeship programs;  
• The Virginia Career Works Referral Portal and Workforce Data Trust;  
• The Virginia Workforce Connection;  
• Labor market information services;  
• Virginia Voyager;  
• Network2Work; and  
• The Hampton Road Skilled Trades Rapid On-Ramp Network for Growth. 

The new agency will have the powers and duties to draft regulations, develop a strategy to inform and engage with the business and organized labor to coordinate the workforce development programs offered by the Department, identify labor market needs, regularly track metrics related to the workforce development programs, and ensure alignment of the Department's offerings to the needs of employers and the needs of the Commonwealth.

Additionally, the new agency and the State Council on Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) will jointly develop and implement strategies to collaborate with employers and higher education institutions to grow and expand the Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP). 

This legislation was a priority for Governor Youngkin to make government more efficient, and the business community and labor agreed on the final package and will be utilized to address all business needs in the Commonwealth. VTCA supported legislation early. It is expected to take some time to get the new agency up and running and merging certain departments with others. 

HB 2341 - Davis - High school graduation; alternative pathways to advanced studies diploma & associated diploma seals. Failed.  This bill directed the Board of Education to establish two pathways to the advanced studies high school diploma, and associated diploma seals for students who successfully follow and demonstrate excellence on such pathways: one pathway that requires advanced coursework in a career and technical education field but does not require coursework in world language and another pathway that requires advanced coursework in world language but does not require coursework in a career and technical education field. VTCA supported this legislation that passed the House, but was defeated in the Senate Education and Health Committee Public Education Subcommittee. The Virginia Education Association (VEA) and a group representing foreign language educators opposed the bill as a threat to future foreign language education.

HB 2180 – Morefield - SB 1213 - McDougle - Professional and Occupational Regulation, Department of; universal license recognition.  Passed.   This legislation establishes criteria for an individual licensed, certified, or having work experience in another state to apply to a regulatory board within  DPOR and be issued an occupational license or government certification if certain conditions are met.  PE’s were carved out this year and will be considered next year. The legislation was the first bill of 2023 to be signed into law by Governor Youngkin.