Beginning on July 1, 2026, for the financial aid award year of 2026–27 and each award year thereafter, existing federal law establishes the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to award grants to eligible students who are enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in a short-term educational program that, among other things, provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations, as provided.

This bill would prohibit the unspecified state entity from authorizing a participating institution to receive federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds for a short-term program unless, among other things, the unspecified state entity determines that the short-term program meets the requirements of the above-described federal provisions and the unspecified state entity consults with an advisory board, which the bill would establish. The bill would require a participating institution to ensure that any confidential student information collected for purposes of the bill is only disclosed to the unspecified state entity. The bill would authorize the unspecified state entity to adopt rules and regulations to implement the bill as it deems necessary.

Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.