Funding bill for apprenticeships passes first committee
One of the first bills to make progress in the 2024 Legislature, the Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Fund has moved a step forward in the Roundhouse by passing its first committee.
It’s an effort to provide more consistent funding for apprentice and training programs in New Mexico.
The House Labor, Veterans’ And Military Affairs committee passed the bill with a 9-3 vote on Thursday. Three of the four Republicans on the committee voted against it.
The legislation still has a long way to go before it could sit on the governor’s desk, if it does at all. It has to get through another House committee and the Senate side of the Roundhouse.
This legislation would set up a $50 million trust fund able to doll out dollars to the existing public works apprentice and training fund, which sends money to apprentice and training programs, and the state’s Workforce Solutions Department.
The bill would have $2.5 million in appropriations go to the public works apprentice and training fund in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, and, after that, $1.5 million annually. It would be the same for the Workforce Solutions Department, with $2.5 million in appropriations for FY25 and FY26 and $1.5 million annually after that.
A slew of lawmakers are sponsoring this bill – Reps. Joy Garratt, D-Albuquerque, and Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, and Sens. Siah Correa Hemphill, D-Silver City, and Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque.
Apprentices and workers who went through apprenticeships showed up to voice their thoughts on the bill at the committee meeting on Thursday, more in support than not.
Workforce Solutions Department Secretary Sarita Nair said this measure could help hire and retain employees in the state, especially considering the billions of dollars for infrastructure coming down from the federal government.
“We are very concerned about having a workforce to get all those projects done. And so apprenticeships are … the gold standard for creating a construction and workforce,” Nair said.
Rep. Yanira Gurrola, D-Albuquerque, asked if high schoolers would be eligible for these dollars. Garratt said it depends on the apprenticeship program, and most programs require workers to be at least 18 years old.
There are also other bills in the session that would garner funding aimed at boosting career-technical education in K-12 schools.
Republicans on the committee took up a lot of time asking how the bill would work logistically. Rep. Luis Terrazas, R-Silver City, spent over half an hour questioning the details of the legislation.
He was the only Republican on the committee to vote for the bill’s passage.
Rep. Harlan Vincent, R-Ruidoso Downs, said he knows the fund is needed but would like to see a lot of the $50 million go to the state’s Children, Youth and Families Department. He questioned the transparency and fairness of the workforce fund and its allocations. Rep. Alan Martinez, R-Corrales, repeatedly questioned the point of the $50 million fund at all.
Rep. Andrea Reeb, R-Clovis, said she’s concerned about where money for the fund will come from. After voting against the legislation, she said her vote could change down the line if the appropriation is pinned down.
“So at this point, you don’t have the money,” Reeb said. “You will have to negotiate it from somewhere.”
Garratt said that’s standard, and the money can get negotiated over the course of the 30-day session. Garratt and Nair defended the need for a more predictable source of revenue to go toward the 50 state-registered apprenticeship programs and the additional programs likely to come later.
Terrazas asked what happens if the appropriation doesn’t come through. Garratt said she’s optimistic and isn’t worrying about that right now.
“It’s committee by committee, floor by floor, Senate committee by Senate committee,” Garratt said.
Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, D-Albuquerque, pointed out that details in the bill can change later on. After the committee’s passage of the legislation, Garratt said she took copious notes on everybody’s comments.
The bill goes to the House Appropriations and Finance committee next.