This bill requires the Technical College System Board to award grants in the
2023-25 fiscal biennium to technical colleges to support the recruitment and
retention of instructors in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and truck
driving programs. The bill requires the TCS Board to award grants to pay hiring
bonuses to such instructors. A grant of up to $5,000 per instructor may fund a hiring
bonus if 1) the instructor is hired into a position that is at least half-time to teach
courses in manufacturing or advanced manufacturing or preparatory to issuance or
upgrade of a commercial driver license; 2) the technical college provides at least an
equal amount of matching funding for the bonus; and 3) the instructor agrees in
writing to continue employment with the technical college for at least three years in
a similar capacity. With exceptions, an instructor who fails to maintain employment
for the three-year period must repay the bonus on a pro rata basis according to the
actual duration of employment. If an instructor who received a hiring bonus remains
employed with the technical college in a similar capacity five years later, the

technical college must pay the instructor, from its own funds, a retention bonus of
$5,000. A technical college that receives a grant award must report certain
information related to the results of its instructor bonuses.

The bill also requires the TCS Board to award one-time grants of up to
$1,000,000 to technical colleges to purchase manufacturing or advanced
manufacturing equipment or to enhance facilities for manufacturing or advanced
manufacturing instruction. A grant may be awarded only if the technical college
provides at least an equal amount of matching funding, which may include in-kind
contributions. A technical college awarded a grant must submit a report that
includes information related to the grant and use of the grant proceeds.