This act renames the program the Missouri One Start Program. Current law allows administrative expenses equal to fifteen percent of total training costs. This act limits such expenses to a reasonable amount determined by the Department of Economic Development. In promulgating rules and regulations governing the Missouri One Start Training Program, this act requires the Department to consider such factors as the potential number of new jobs to be created, the amount of new capital investment in new facilities and equipment, the significance of state benefits to the qualified company's decision to locate or expand in Missouri, the economic need of the affected community, and the importance of the qualified company to the economic development of the state.

This act allows the Department to require a qualified business to repay all benefits if such business fails to maintain the new or retained jobs within five years of approval of benefits or if such business leaves the state within five years of approval of benefits.

This act allows the Department to contract with other entities, including businesses, industries, other state agencies, and political subdivisions of the state for the purpose of implementing a training project under the program.

Upon appropriation of funds to the Missouri One Start Job Development Fund, this act allows a local education agency to petition the Department to utilize the Fund to create or improve training facilities, equipment, staff, expertise, programming, and administration. The Department may award moneys from the Fund for reimbursement of training project costs and services as it deems necessary.

This act gives the Department the discretion to determine the appropriate amount of funds to allocate to a training project from the Missouri One Start Community College New Jobs and Retained Jobs Training funds.

Any agreement or obligation entered into by the Department that was made under the provisions of the Missouri Works Training Program prior to the effective date of this act shall remain in effect according to the provisions of such agreement or obligation.

This act is substantially similar to provisions contained in HCS/SB 68 (2019), SS/HCS/HB 255 (2019), and SCS/SB 184 (2019), as amended.

JOSHUA NORBERG