 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
appropriation; STEM; learning; workforce development.
Purpose
Appropriates $3,000,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2024 to the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to administer a grant program to cultivate STEM learning and workforce development opportunities with funding that prioritizes rural and semirural areas.
Background
The ACA promotes economic, community and workforce development. The ACA's duties include the support of statewide business expansion, retention, attraction, workforce development and job training and online assistance for new business start-ups and tax credit administration (A.R.S. § 41-1502).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Rural-Urban Continuum Codes classify: 1) metropolitan counties by the population size of the metro area; and 2) nonmetropolitan counties by degree of urbanization and adjacency to a metro area. The categories are subdivided into three metro and six nonmetro categories, allowing researchers to break county data into finer residential groups particularly for the analysis of trends in nonmetro areas related to population density and metro influence. The next update is planned for mid-2023 (USDA).
S.B. 1183 appropriates $3,000,000 from the state General Fund in FY 2024 to the ACA and declares an intent that the appropriation be considered ongoing funding.
Provisions
1. Appropriates $3,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2024 to the ACA to administer a grant program that:
a) is charged with cultivating STEM learning and STEM workforce development opportunities in Arizona; and
b) has the purpose of building STEM networks and hubs to leverage assets on every level of a community with funding that gives priority to rural and semirural areas.
2. Directs
the ACA to categorize rural and semirural areas, using the USDA's most recent
Rural-Urban Continuum Code scheme and to consider:
a) Codes 1 and 2 as urban;
b) Codes 3, 4 and 5 as semirural; and
c) Codes 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 as rural.
3. Requires the ACA to attempt to maximize and connect STEM learning and STEM workforce development opportunities provided by:
a) entities in a county that have an established network of cross-institutional partners from business, education, community and government;
b) schools and school districts for teacher training in STEM literacy;
c) out-of-school programs that cultivate a community STEM network;
d) museums and science centers with expertise in science, technology, engineering or mathematics;
e) higher education institutions that offer workforce development in STEM fields; and
f) other entities that recognize the need for STEM competencies as recognized by the ACA.
4. Specifies that the Legislature intends the STEM grant program be considered ongoing funding in future years.
5. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing.
6. Directs the ACA to submit, by December 31, 2023, a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the distribution of grant monies and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 31, 2023
LB/slp