A. The "work force skills development fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations, income from investment of the fund, gifts, grants, donations and bequests. Money in the fund shall not revert at the end of any fiscal year. The fund shall be administered by the commission on higher education [higher education department] and money in the fund is appropriated to the commission [department] to provide matching funds to community colleges for the development, expansion and support of broad-based entry-level high-skills training programs. Money from the fund shall be expended on warrants of the secretary of finance and administration upon vouchers signed by the executive director of the commission on higher education [higher education department] or his authorized representative.

B. Individual community colleges or a consortium of community colleges may apply for matching grants from the work force skills development fund in accordance with rules promulgated by the commission on higher education [higher education department]. Allocations from the fund shall be based on a competitive process with applications reviewed by a panel of education, business and labor experts established by the commission [department]. To apply for a grant, a community college or consortium must have equal or greater matching funds for the proposal from sources other than the state.

History: Laws 2003, ch. 368, § 1.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Laws 2005, ch. 289, § 29 provided that all references to the commission on higher education be construed to be references to the higher education department.

Effective dates. — Laws 2003, ch. 368 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective on June 20, 2003, 90 days after adjournment of the legislature.