Pelican State News

NFIB State Director Leah Long announced that the small business advocacy group is calling for the House & Governmental Affairs Committee to pass two significant bills, HB 264 and HB 617. These bills aim to establish a coordinated workforce system in Louisiana. The committee will convene at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23.

HB 264, proposed by Representative Stephanie Berault of Slidell, seeks to integrate the Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) within the Louisiana Workforce Commission. This integration would lead to the agency being renamed Louisiana Works to better reflect its broader mission. HB 617, introduced by Representative Kim Carver from Mandeville, plans to reorganize DCFS for improved agency efficiency and coordination.

Leah Long explained, "Today, workforce services are spread across multiple state agencies, each operating under its own vision and goals. The proposed ‘One Door’ workforce policy would change that by aligning all workforce-related agencies, training programs, and funding sources under a unified structure."

Long emphasized that this alignment would benefit small businesses by helping them find suitable workers and would aid job seekers in accessing necessary support and services. "It’s time for Louisiana to build a workforce system as ambitious and capable as our people," she stated, describing the bills as a crucial step toward achieving this objective.