Repeal Employment Support Job Retention Program

      Joint Budget Committee. House Bill 19-1107, enacted in 2019, established the employment support and job retention services program (program) in the division of employment and training (division) within the department of labor and employment (department). The corresponding employment support and job retention services program cash fund (fund) was also created for the purpose of funding employment preparation, job training, employment pursuit, and job retention activities for eligible individuals.

     The general assembly appropriated $750,000 from the general fund to the fund for state fiscal year 2019-20. Beginning in the 2022-23 state fiscal year, and for each state fiscal year thereafter, the general assembly is statutorily required to appropriate $250,000 from the general fund to the fund.

     Currently, the program is scheduled to repeal September 1, 2029.

     The bill changes the repeal date to July 1, 2026. The program therefore would repeal approximately 3 years sooner than when it is currently scheduled to repeal.

     The bill requires the state treasurer to transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the fund to the general fund on June 30, 2026.

     The bill also adjusts the annual general appropriation act for the 2026-27 state fiscal year to the department for use by the division, as follows:

• Decreases the general fund appropriation for the fund by $250,000; and
• Decreases the reappropriated funds appropriation from the fund for the program by $250,000.

     A reduction of an appropriation in the annual general appropriation act for the 2026-27 state fiscal year is not required by the bill, however, if one of the following conditions is satisfied:

• The amount of the general fund appropriation to the department for use by the division for the fund is less than $250,000;
• The amount of the reappropriated funds appropriation from the fund to the department for use by the division for the program is less than $250,000; or
• The annual general appropriation act for the 2026-27 state fiscal year does not include an appropriation to the department for use by the division for the fund or the program.
  
  (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)