Developing Missouri’s Workforce and Encouraging Recruitment

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Greetings Friends of the 144^th District!

The temperatures have been extremely hot lately! I enjoy warmer weather as a general rule, however this past week has been a little too hot for even me. Please remember to check on your elderly neighbors and family members during these periods of extreme heat. It is easy for someone to get over heated and not realize it and until it is too late. Don’t forget our four footed furry friends too. Make sure they have shade and plenty to drink.

Developing Missouri’s Workforce and Encouraging Recruitment

HB 417 will help employers develop and retain skilled workers through the creation of a competitive grant program administered by the Department of Economic Development to reimburse employers who help their employees earn short-term certificates or credentials in vital areas for Missouri’s economy. Examples of short-term credentials that would be eligible for reimbursement through the program include manufacturing technology, cybersecurity, welding, certified nursing assistant and HVAC certification.

Many businesses have a hard time trying to find the workers they need, and oftentimes, those workers still need training with some of the desired skills. This new law will empower companies to grow their own workers using a program through the Department of Economic Development where they can send them to upskill their credentials.

HB 417 also creates the Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act, which will incentivize businesses to increase the number of internship and apprenticeship opportunities in the state, allowing employers to train their workforce through paid internships and apprenticeships.

Under the act, employers would qualify for a tax credit of $1,500 for each intern or apprentice hired at a pay rate equal to or greater than minimum wage. Interns would have to work a minimum of 60 hours per month for two consecutive months to qualify. Apprentices would need to complete a minimum of 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 144 hours of technical instruction. An employer could not receive more than $9,000 in tax credits in a single year and the program would have a total cap of $1 million in tax credits each year.

Missouri is already a national leader in new apprenticeships and completed apprenticeships, but the state continues to be an exporter of potential workers as Missouri is losing approximately 20,000 undergraduates to jobs outside the state each year. The end goal is to keep more of the talent produced by Missouri’s universities here in the state.

Governor Vetoes Legislative Crime Prevention Package

The Governor did veto one bill, SB 189, which deals with public safety and crime prevention measures. The Governor cited the following provisions included in the bill as the reasons for his decision to veto:

• Section 610.140 – could allow criminals convicted of sexual offenses, including sexual exploitation of a minor or the promotion of child pornography, to have their records expunged and be removed from the sex offender registry. The provisions also include changes to how expungement requests are evaluated but fails to detail specific standards of proof for the court to consider.
• Section 650.058 – expands the qualifications for restitution from those who are exonerated based on DNA evidence to those who were later determined to be innocent through a habeas corpus proceeding and those whose convictions are set aside per a prosecutor’s motion to vacate the judgment. The change also increases the restitution amount by more than 75 percent for eligible individuals. This provision requires the State to pay the expanded and increased restitution requirements; however, Governor Parson does not believe every taxpayer across the State should be responsible for prosecutorial errors made at the local level.

SB 189 contains many public safety measures that we support and would like to sign into law, including Blair’s Law, Max’s Law, increased penalties for violent repeat offenders and gun crimes, and strengthening the public defender system.  Unfortunately, these items will have to wait for another time.

The Governor could still technically call for an extraordinary session on this legislation, and the House and Senate have the option to attempt to override this veto, as well as the Governor’s veto of 201 line items in the state budget during the annual Veto Session, which takes place on September 13, 2023.

Always Available

I do my best to make sure I am always accessible to my constituents. If you or someone you know has an issue they need assistance with, please feel free to reach out to my office at 573-751-2112 or write me an email chris.dinkins@house.mo.gov