AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted Tuesday to advance a measure sponsored by Rep. Michele Meyer, D-Eliot, that would help parents access workforce training and education. The vote was 81-58.
The Higher Opportunity for Pathways to Employment, or HOPE, Program covers costs related to education and training, like textbooks and child care, for qualifying low-income families. The program is available to as many as 800 individuals, but fewer than 450 slots are currently filled. LD 5 seeks to change that by expanding eligibility for the program.
"This measure will expand access to education for families who are seeking a path out of poverty," said Meyer, House chair of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee. "The HOPE Program offers crucial support to parents seeking training that will provide them with the earning power needed to achieve economic stability. This is an effective program that has already helped hundreds of parents earn credentials, and with this bill, we can ensure it helps many more."
LD 5 would adjust the income eligibility guidelines for the HOPE Program so that families earning up to 225% of the federal poverty limit can access it. Currently, that means roughly $56,000 for a family of three. Because the bill does not increase the maximum number of participants in the program, the changes would require no additional funding.
"Many of the applicants to the HOPE Program who are turned away would be eligible under this change," said Meyer. "These are Mainers who are motivated and want to provide a brighter future for their families. The space is there for them in the program, and this simple eligibility change will ensure they can access it."
The proposal comes at a time when Maine employers are experiencing a significant and growing need for qualified workers. According to Maines 10-year economic development plan, increasing the number of individuals in the workforce as well as the proportion of Maines workforce with education or training beyond a high school diploma are both key to the economic success of the state as a whole.
The bill faces additional votes in the House and Senate.
Meyer is serving her third term in the Maine House. She represents House District 150, which includes Eliot and parts of both Kittery and South Berwick.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Meyer], c. 305-965-2744