Labor & Employment (Workforce Development)

Doula Workforce Development; Establishing the Doula Workforce Development Support Program within the Department of Commerce to provide grants and technical assistance to eligible doula training entities for a specified purpose; requiring the department to prioritize support to high-need regions; specifying authorized uses of the grant funds; requiring the department to submit annual reports to the Governor and the Legislature by a specified date, etc. APPROPRIATION: $7,500,000

Education and Workforce Development for Current and Former Inmates; Authorizing the Department of Transportation to expend certain funds for all workforce development programs, rather than only construction workforce development programs; authorizing the department to use workforce development funds for certain certification and training opportunities; authorizing employers to apply to the Department of Financial Services for reimbursement of the cost of certain workers’ compensation and automobile liability premiums, subject to appropriation; providing requirements and restrictions for reimbursement, etc.

Doula Workforce Development ; Establishes Doula Workforce Development Support Program within Department of Commerce for specified purposes; provides requirements for grant funding & use of such funds; provides requirements for department to administer program; requires department to submit certain report to Governor & Legislature by specified date annually; authorizes department to require grant recipients to submit certain data; authorizes department to adopt certain rules. APPROPRIATION: $7,500,000

Education and Workforce Development for Inmates; Authorizes DOT to expend certain funds for all workforce development programs, rather than only construction workforce development programs; authorizes department to provide grants to private educational providers to use for certain certification & training opportunities; requires certification & training opportunities to include training for specified commercial driver licenses to certain inmates; provides eligibility; authorizes department to use workforce development funds for certain certification & training opportunities; requires Correctional Education Program under DOC to annually submit report to Secretary of Corrections with specified information; authorizes Correctional Education Program to implement career & technical education program in which certain inmates can earn specified commercial driver licenses; provides eligibility; authorizes inmate to be transported in or to operate state-owned vehicle under certain circumstances; requires certified correctional officer to be present during such transport or operation.

Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility; Revises circumstances under which COM disqualifies claimants from reemployment assistance benefits; requires department to verify claimants' identities before paying benefits & to cross-check certain information to verify claimants' eligibility; requires department to maintain web page for specified purpose & to notify employers each year of web page.

Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility; Citing this act as the “Promoting Work, Deterring Fraud Act of 2026”; revising circumstances under which the Department of Commerce disqualifies claimants from reemployment assistance benefits; requiring the department to verify claimants’ identities before paying benefits; providing duties of the department, etc.

Manufacturing; Revises duties of Department of Commerce; establishes Chief Manufacturing Officer among senior leadership of department for specified purpose; provides that Chief Manufacturing Officer is appointed by and serves at pleasure of Secretary of Commerce; provides duties of Chief Manufacturing Officer; requires all state and local governmental entities to assist Chief Manufacturing Officer within certain constraints; creates Florida Manufacturers' Workforce Development Grant Program within department; provides that grant program is under direction of Chief Manufacturing Officer in consultation with National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization in this state; provides purpose for grant program; requires department, in coordination with National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization in this state, to review submitted applications and to select specified projects; provides that department has sole discretion in final grant awards; requires department, in coordination with National Institute of Standards & Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization in this state, to establish and publish ranking metrics for reviewing and awarding grants; provides guidelines for such metrics; requires that priority be given to projects that meet certain criteria.