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HB 4126

Higher education: education programs; fund for nuclear and hydrogen education grant program; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4127'25, HB 4129'25, HB 4125'25, HB 4128'25, HB 4124'25

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Alexander and 14 co-sponsors

HB 4126 creates a dedicated state fund to finance grants for colleges to establish or expand nuclear and hydrogen education programs, subject to appropriation.

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
#energy:nuclear #highereducation:educationprograms
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Bill Summary · HB 4126

Summary — HB 4126 (Nuclear and Hydrogen Education Grant Program Fund Act)

Purpose

HB 4126 creates a dedicated state fund — the Nuclear and Hydrogen Education Grant Program Fund — to finance grants to postsecondary schools in Michigan that establish or expand education programs supportive of the nuclear and hydrogen industries. The grants are intended to be awarded under the Nuclear and Hydrogen Education Grant Program (established separately by HB 4125).

Key provisions

  • Establishes the "Nuclear and Hydrogen Education Grant Program Fund" in the state treasury.
  • Directs the State Treasurer to:
    • Deposit money and other assets received from any source into the fund.
    • Invest fund money and credit interest and earnings to the fund.
  • Specifies that fund balances do not lapse to the General Fund at fiscal year-end.
  • Designates the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) as the fund administrator for audit purposes.
  • Limits expenditures from the fund (upon appropriation) to awarding grants to postsecondary schools that seek to establish or expand “qualified education programs” as described in the companion Nuclear and Hydrogen Education Grant Program Act (HB 4125).

Who is affected

  • Postsecondary institutions (public and private colleges/universities, community colleges, junior colleges, vocational/technical schools) that choose to apply for grants to create or expand nuclear- or hydrogen-supportive degree, certificate, or credential programs.
  • Students potentially benefit indirectly from scholarships and program expansions under the separate grant program (HB 4125).
  • Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (administrative responsibility for the fund and, jointly with HB 4125, program administration).
  • State Treasurer (investment and deposit duties).

Fiscal and programmatic impact

  • Creates a state restricted fund; the bill does not specify a dedicated revenue source for the fund (money may come from any source).
  • Money in the fund is subject to appropriation and may only be used for grant awards under the related program.
  • HB 4125 (the companion bill establishing the grant program) would likely increase administrative costs for LEO (rulemaking, application processes, ongoing program administration); magnitude is indeterminate and depends on program size and utilization.
  • No mandatory requirements for institutions to create programs; participation is voluntary.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced Feb 25, 2025 (sponsored initially by Rep. Samantha Steckloff; additional sponsors include Tom Weber, Brian BeGole, Douglas Wozniak, Jason Woolford, Bill Schuette, and others).
  • Referred to Committee on Energy; reported without amendment on 03/25/2025.
  • Passed by the House with immediate effect (third reading/passage reported Oct 28–30, 2025) and transmitted thereafter; then referred to Committee on Energy and Environment.
  • The act does not take effect unless the related bills in the package (HB 4124, HB 4125, HB 4127, HB 4128, HB 4129) are also enacted.

Relationship to other bills

  • HB 4126 is tied to and intended to operate with HB 4125 (creates the Nuclear and Hydrogen Education Grant Program) and HB 4124, 4127, 4128, 4129. HB 4125 defines eligible programs and scholarship requirements; HB 4126 supplies the fund to pay awarded grants (subject to appropriation).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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