HF 15 (LSB 1043HH (2) 90)

HOUSE FILE 15

BY  KRESSIG

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing the pathways to education and employment reentry program to be administered by the community colleges division of the department of education and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  260C.51  Pathways to education and employment reentry program.
   1.  The pathways to education and employment reentry program is established to be administered by the community colleges division of the department of education to reduce recidivism and further develop the workforce in this state.
   2.  The community colleges division shall, through at least eight community colleges, provide education related to educational and employment opportunities in the community to individuals exiting a correctional institution under the control of the Iowa department of corrections or a city or county jail. The pathways to education and employment reentry program must provide all of the following services:
   a.  Case management.
   b.  Educational course information and counseling.
   c.  Career exploration.
   d.  Job training.
   e.  Job placement.
   f.  Assistance with creating a curriculum vitae.
   g.  Assistance with completing job applications.
   h.  Employability skills training.
   i.  Job referrals.
   j.  Notification of hiring events.
   3.  The community colleges division shall coordinate services with the Iowa department of corrections as well as other federal, state, local, and nonprofit entities to provide clothing, mental health services, probation services, travel assistance, food assistance, and gang-prevention programs to individuals exiting a correctional institution under the control of the Iowa department of corrections or a city or county jail.
   4.  The pathways to education and employment reentry program shall work with nonprofit entities in developing a strategy for attracting additional financial resources for the program from other sources, including federal, state, local, and private sector funding sources. The financial resources received shall be credited to the pathways to education and employment reentry program fund created pursuant to subsection 5.
   5.  A pathways to education and employment reentry program fund is created in the state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the department of education. All moneys deposited or paid into the pathways to education and employment reentry program fund are appropriated and made available to the department to be used for meeting the requirements of this section. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys deposited in the pathways to education and employment reentry program fund shall not revert to any fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year but shall remain in the pathways to education and employment reentry program fund and be continuously available under the pathways to education and employment reentry program.
   6.  The state board of education may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
    Sec. 2.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— PATHWAYS TO EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT REENTRY PROGRAM.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For the pathways to education and employment reentry program established pursuant to section 260C.51, including salaries, support, maintenance, miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  4,200,000
   ............................................................... FTEs            8.00
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes the pathways to education and employment reentry program to be administered by the community colleges division of the department of education.
   The bill requires the division, through at least eight community colleges, to provide education related to educational and employment opportunities in the community to individuals exiting a correctional institution under the control of the Iowa department of corrections or a city or county jail. The bill establishes the specific services the program is to provide.
   The bill requires the division to coordinate services with the Iowa department of corrections as well as other federal, state, local, and nonprofit entities to provide certain specified services to individuals exiting a correctional institution under the control of the Iowa department of corrections or a city or county jail. The bill also requires the division to develop a strategy for attracting additional financial resources.
   The bill establishes a pathways to education and employment reentry program fund in the state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the department of education. The bill appropriates $4.2 million from the general fund to the department of education for FY 2023-2024 for purposes of the program.
   The bill authorizes the state board of education to adopt rules to administer the program.