HB 331 Missouri House · 2025 Regular Session

Establishes the "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program"

HB 331 creates a state-funded program to reimburse tuition, books, and fees for short-term career certificate programs at approved schools. It directly affects eligible students who qualify for Missouri’s A+ Schools Program but haven’t used its benefits, and approved institutions like community colleges, vocational schools, and training providers offering programs such as Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), EMT, or Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) courses. The bill establishes a dedicated "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program Fund" to cover reimbursements, with limits on payments (capped at public community college rates) and rules to prevent duplicate funding for similar programs. Reimbursement ends when a student completes the program, reaches 150% of standard program time, or receives the full reimbursement amount.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2024

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Dec 3, 2024 Last action Apr 29, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

House Committee Substitute → Perfected · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was perfected with minor formatting corrections and significant new provisions adding oversight requirements for private vocational schools receiving tuition reimbursements. The changes establish a formal authorization process where private institutions must request and receive department approval before students can receive reimbursement, preventing duplicate funding when public colleges offer similar programs. A new fund was also created to manage these reimbursements.

Scope change

The bill now applies additional restrictions to private vocational and technical schools, requiring them to obtain department authorization before students can receive tuition reimbursements when public institutions offer similar programs in the same region.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that private vocational schools, virtual institutions, or eligible training providers must request and receive department authorization before tuition reimbursement can be provided to eligible students enrolling in programs similar to those offered by public colleges.

Added department responsibilities to develop authorization request forms, review requests within 20 business days, provide denial reasons, and ensure denials are based on good cause.

FISCAL

Created a new "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program Fund" in the state treasury to manage reimbursements, with specific rules about fund usage and non-reversion of unspent funds.

TECHNICAL

Corrected formatting errors including page number changes and removed bracketed explanatory text that was not intended to be enacted.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Second read and referred: Education(S)

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 149 NOES: 3 PRESENT: 0

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 7 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Voted Do Pass (H)

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred: Fiscal Review(H)

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

HCS Adopted (H)

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 9 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Voted Do Pass (H)

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Committee

Referred: Rules - Legislative(H)

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 13 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

HCS Voted Do Pass (H)

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Committee

Referred: Higher Education and Workforce Development(H)

lower

Dec 3, 2024

Introduced

Prefiled (H)

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors