MICHIGAN RECONNECT GRANTS                                                   H.B. 6129 (H-1) & 6130 (H-2):

                                                                                                                                        SUMMARY OF DISCHARGED BILL

House Bill 6129 (Substitute H-1 as discharged)

House Bill 6130 (Substitute H-2 as discharged)

Sponsor:   Representative Ben Frederick (H.B. 6129)

                            Representative Sarah Anthony (H.B. 6130)

House Committee:   Appropriations

Senate Committee:   Economic and Small Business Development (discharged)

CONTENT

House Bill 6129 (H-1) would amend the Michigan Reconnect Grant Act to do the following:

 --     Prescribe additional intended goals for the Reconnect program and Reconnect initiative.

 --     Amend the definition of "eligible institution" by modifying the information that would have to be included in the written report submitted to Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) each year and the required academic supports that would have to be provided to Michigan Reconnect grant students who needed academic remediation.

 --     Amend the definition of "Michigan Reconnect grant student" to mean a student admitted to and enrolled in an eligible institution, regardless of whether the student is receiving a Michigan Reconnect grant.

 --     Require LEO to ensure that navigators were instructed to inform Michigan Reconnect grant applicants of any relevant policies for earning credit for prior learning and to connect applicants to their local workforce development agency for additional support services and registration with their local career services office.

 --     Require LEO to ensure that all eligible institutions identified and reported at the student level any attempts and completion for gateway English and mathematics courses in a form and manner as prescribed by the Center for Educational Performance and Information.

 --     Require LEO to establish a process to allow eligible institutions to be reimbursed for awarding credit for prior learning at a rate of $80 per credit hour for credit awarded to Michigan Reconnect grant students for specified types of credit for prior learning.

 --     Require LEO to encourage eligible instructions across the State to adopt consistent placement policies to better connect education and training demands in the labor market.

 --     Require LEO to facilitate maximum four-year completion rates for Michigan Reconnect grant students and to implement the specified program requirements.

 --     Change from February 1 to June 1 the date by which LEO must provide a written report detailing the progress of the Michigan Reconnect grant program.

 --     Include in the annual report provided by LEO the amount of credit awarded for prior learning by eligible institutions and the mean and median grant amounts award from the Michigan Reconnect grant program.

 --     Create the Michigan Center for Adult College Success in LEO to serve as the State's primary resource for research, support models, and best practices on ensuring adult enrollment and completion of college degrees and certificated at eligible institutions.

House Bill 6130 (H-2) would amend the Michigan Reconnect Grant Recipient Act to do the following:

 --     Prescribe additional intended goals for the Reconnect program and Reconnect Initiative.

 --     Remove or modify various terms and definitions.

 --     Modify the requirements to establish continuing eligibility for a Michigan Reconnect grant at an eligible institution.

 --     Modify the calculation for the maximum amount a student can be awarded for a Michigan Reconnect grant.

 --     Require the approval of the relevant eligible instit