HB 11 — Mississippi Career and Technical Education Employability (MissCATEE) Program
Status: Died in Committee
Introduced: July 28, 2025
Classification: Bill
Subject areas: Appropriations E, Workforce Development
Purpose / Intent
HB 11 would have created the Mississippi Career and Technical Education Employability (MissCATEE) Program to make community college instruction in certain career and technical education (CTE) programs tuition‑free. The stated goal is to reduce cost barriers to postsecondary CTE training and to expand the pipeline of skilled workers for in‑state industries.
Key provisions (based on bill title and summary information)
The bill’s full text was not provided in the materials. From the title and classification, the core elements likely included (but were not limited to):
- Creation of a named state program (MissCATEE) to provide tuition‑free community college enrollment for students in approved CTE programs.
- Definition or designation of “qualifying” CTE programs (programs aligned with state workforce needs, industry credentials, or high‑demand occupations).
- Eligibility criteria for participants (examples that such bills commonly include: Mississippi residency, enrollment in an approved community college CTE program, possibly age or prior education requirements).
- Assignment of administrative responsibility (likely to the Mississippi Community College Board, Department of Education, or a designated workforce agency) to approve participating programs and manage funds.
- Funding mechanism: state appropriation(s) to cover tuition and possibly associated fees, and provisions for reporting/oversight (standard in tuition‑free program bills).
- Effective date and any phased implementation contingent on appropriations.
Because the actual legislative text was not provided, readers should treat the list above as the program outline implied by the bill title rather than confirmed statutory language.
Who would be affected
- Primary beneficiaries: Students (recent high‑school graduates, adult learners, incumbent workers) enrolling in qualifying community college CTE programs — they would pay no tuition under MissCATEE while eligible.
- Community colleges: Would receive state support to cover tuition revenue losses and would need to coordinate admissions, program approval, and reporting.
- Employers and workforce: Potential increase in credentialed, job‑ready graduates in targeted industries.
- State budget/appropriations: Increased near‑term state expenditures to fund tuition replacement; potential long‑term economic benefits if workforce shortages are reduced.
Fiscal and policy impact (anticipated)
- Fiscal: The program would require state appropriations to offset tuition revenue; exact cost depends on eligibility rules, program scope, enrollment, and whether the program covers tuition only or also fees/materials. No dollar amounts were available.
- Policy/Workforce: Could expand access to CTE training, increase credential attainment, and support employer hiring needs. It may also shift funding priorities within higher education and workforce programs.
Procedural and timeline notes
- Filed: July 28, 2025; Read first time: July 30, 2025; Referred to: State Affairs.
- Final status: Died in Committee (the bill did not advance to enactment in the 2025 session).
- Because the bill died in committee, no implementation occurred and no appropriations were made under HB 11.
Missing / uncertain information
The legislative documents provided did not include the bill’s full text, sponsor(s), precise eligibility rules, program definitions, appropriation amounts, or reporting/oversight language. Those details would be necessary to evaluate program cost, scale, and operational requirements.
If you want, I can:
- Draft a concise list of likely eligibility and program design options for MissCATEE for use in reintroduction,
- Outline a high‑level fiscal estimate framework (what data would be needed to estimate cost), or
- Search for the full text or sponsor information if you provide access to the bill repository you want used.
