The proposed bill, known as the Digital Skills Empowerment Act, aims to enhance job training opportunities in Nebraska by providing accessible and affordable digital skills training for residents in qualified census tracts, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. The bill establishes a grant program administered by the Department of Labor, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development, to fund local educational institutions and nonprofits that develop digital skills training centers. It also includes provisions for grants to assist low-income individuals with tuition, learning materials, and other necessary support to access these training programs. The total amount of grant funds available is capped at twenty million dollars per fiscal year for both local institutions and individual applicants.

Additionally, the bill outlines the creation of standardized, industry-aligned curricula for digital skills training, encourages partnerships with technology firms, and establishes a grant program for technology companies to create paid apprenticeships in digital trades. The intent is to appropriate fifty million dollars from the Workforce Development Program Cash Fund to support these initiatives. The bill amends section 81-407 of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska to include grants pursuant to the Digital Skills Empowerment Act, and it will become operative on January 1, 2026. The original section 81-407 is also repealed.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 81-407