Relating to the direct care workforce including the creation of a direct care worker database, inclusion of direct care workers in state skilled workforce programs, and the establishment of a direct care worker tuition grant program and a direct care worker tuition tax credit

The division requires the stakeholder workgroup to convene no later than September 1, 2020, and to submit a phased-in implementation plan for the centralized direct care workforce database, to the governor and the general assembly by June 30, 2021. DIVISION II. Division II of the bill relates to skilled workforce programs and the designation of high-demand jobs. The bill requires the workforce development board, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, to add to the list of high-demand jobs statewide the job of direct care worker for the purposes of the future ready Iowa registered apprenticeship development program, the summer youth intern pilot program, the Iowa employer innovation program, the future ready Iowa skilled workforce last-dollar scholarship program, the future ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program, and postsecondary summer classes for high school students. For the purposes of the bill, “direct care worker” means a home health aide, a nursing assistant, and a personal care aide as identified by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics. DIVISION III. Division III of the bill establishes a direct care worker tuition grant program. The bill provides that a direct care worker tuition grant may be awarded to any resident of Iowa who is admitted and in attendance as a full-time or part-time student in a direct care worker career program to pursue an associate’s degree or other training at a community college in the state, and who establishes financial need. The amount of a direct care worker tuition grant shall not exceed the lesser of one-half of a student’s tuition and fees for an approved direct care worker career program or the amount of the student’s established financial need. The bill provides a time frame during which a student may receive a grant, provides that a direct care worker tuition grant shall be awarded on an annual basis, and requires reapplication by the student for each year. Payments under the grant program shall be allocated equally among the semesters or quarters of the year, and if the student discontinues attendance before the end of any term after receiving payment of the grant, the entire amount of any refund due that student, up to the amount of any payments made under the annual grant, shall be paid by the community college to the state. If a student receives financial aid under any other program, the full amount of that financial aid shall be considered part of the student’s financial resources available in determining the amount of the student’s financial need for that period. The college student aid commission is authorized to administer the program. DIVISION IV. Division IV of the bill establishes a direct care worker loan repayment program to increase the number of direct care workers in the state. Under the program, loan repayment may be made to a recipient for loans for educational expenses incurred while completing an approved direct care worker career program. The bill establishes the requirements for applicants and the annual amount and duration of loan repayment to be provided. The college student aid commission is required to adopt administrative rules to determine eligible loans and the evaluation criteria to be used in evaluating applications submitted. The bill creates a direct care worker loan repayment fund for deposit of moneys appropriated to or received by the commission for use under the program. The bill requires the commission to submit in a report to the general assembly by January 1, annually, the number of individuals who received loan repayment pursuant, where the participants were employed, the amount paid to each program participant, and other information identified by the commission as indicators of outcomes of the program. DIVISION V. Division V of the bill establishes a direct care worker tuition tax credit. The tax credit provided is equal to percent of the amount of the tuition paid by the eligible student taxpayer during the tax year for tuition for a direct care worker career program to pursue an associate’s degree or other training at a community college in the state.