(Jan. 24, 2023) – Today, the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Senator Renee Erickson (R-Wichita), reviewed recommendations by the Special Interim Committee on Workforce Development.

The recommendations included:

• Providing assistance for adults who are online learners seeking a degree
• Providing financial assistance for people seeking a degree
• Ensuring increased scholarship funding
• Statewide marketing
• Creating programs to address shortages: tax
• Advocating for reentry programs
• Applied research
• Supporting accountability for funding for need-based aid
• Supporting policies for childcare
• Investigating disability pay gaps
• Expanding the childcare tax credit
• Having the Kansas chamber present

Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs, Kansas Chamber, reviewed a study performed by Ted Abernathy and highlighted recommendations designed to:

• Increase student work-based learning
• Appropriate funds for engineering and nursing initiatives
• Increase recruitment and retention of military personnel
• Create state apprenticeship tax credits
• Collaborate with local community colleges, technical colleges and the workforce board 
• Create short-term training and retraining for adult workers and
• Modify statutes to deal with recidivism and things like suspended licenses

The chamber highlighted the workforce challenges are further complicated by counties that are losing more than 10 percent of the working-age population. Stafford noted the need for all policies to be considered, including comprehensive immigration reform on a federal level.