1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to workforce development; appropriating money for the Gateways2Growth
1.3 Initiative to expand training in information technology, transportation, and health
1.4 care across the state; requiring a report.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.
1.7 Subdivision 1.Appropriation.$2,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,000,000 in fiscal
1.8year 2027 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of employment and
1.9economic development for a grant to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees
1.10Organization (CAIRO) to implement the Gateways2Growth Initiative.
1.11 Subd. 2.Gateways2Growth.CAIRO may use grant proceeds for the Gateways2Growth
1.12Initiative including:
1.13 (1) IT workforce training, including (i) expanding access to full-stack development,
1.14cybersecurity, and business analysis training programs and (ii) partnering with statewide
1.15employers to facilitate hiring and paid internships for IT trainees;
1.16 (2) commercial driver's license (CDL) training, including (i) expanding training
1.17opportunities for new CDL drivers to address Minnesota's critical shortage in transportation
1.18and logistics and (ii) partnering with trucking companies to provide job placements and
1.19apprenticeship programs; and
1.20 (3) health care workforce development, including (i) training certified nursing assistants,
1.21phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, and other essential health care professionals to meet
1Section 1.
REVISOR SS/ES 25-0389802/27/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 2139
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Wolgamott and Hussein03/10/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy 2.1Minnesota's growing demand in long-term care facilities and hospitals and (ii) collaborating
2.2with statewide health care providers to support job placement, credentialing, and licensure.
2.3 Subd. 3.Allocation.(a) CAIRO shall distribute grant proceeds equally between workforce
2.4programs inside and outside the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area.
2.5 (b) Priority must be given to (1) individuals from historically underserved communities,
2.6including immigrants, refugees, and rural populations; (2) workers seeking reskilling or
2.7career transitions due to economic displacement; and (3) underemployed individuals looking
2.8to enter high-demand fields with strong career growth potential.
2.9 Subd. 4.Oversight and reporting requirements.(a) At the conclusion of each fiscal
2.10year, CAIRO, in collaboration with the commissioner of employment and economic
2.11development, shall submit a report to the legislature detailing:
2.12 (1) the number of participants enrolled in each of the following training sectors: IT,
2.13CDL, and health care;
2.14 (2) the employment outcomes and wage growth of program graduates;
2.15 (3) the regional distribution of participants, ensuring equitable access inside and outside
2.16the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area; and
2.17 (4) recommendations for program expansion and sustainability.
2.18 (b) The commissioner of employment and economic development shall ensure
2.19transparency and accountability in the disbursement of money appropriated under this
2.20section and program execution.
2.21 (c) The report required under paragraph (a) must measure the success of the
2.22Gateways2Growth Initiative by detailing the:
2.23 (1) total number of program graduates placed into full-time employment;
2.24 (2) average wage growth of participants post-training;
2.25 (3) retention rates in IT, CDL, and health care professions; and
2.26 (4) reduction in workforce shortages for targeted industries.
2Section 1.
REVISOR SS/ES 25-0389802/27/25