February 26, 2025
Mr. Williams of Texas (for himself, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr. Tran, and Mr. Wied) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business
To amend the Small Business Act to include requirements relating to graduates of career and technical education programs for small business development centers and women’s business centers, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Inclusion of career and technical education
(a) Definition
Section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(gg) Career and technical education
The term career and technical education has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(b) Small business development centers
Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)(1)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (T), by striking and
at the end;
(2)
in clause (v) of the first subparagraph (U) (relating to succession planning), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
(3)
in second subparagraph (U) (relating to training on domestic and international intellectual property protections)—
(A)
in clause (ii)(II), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(B)
by redesignating such subparagraph as subparagraph (V); and
(4)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
(W)
providing educational information to small businesses on—
(i)
hiring graduates from career and technical education programs; and
(ii)
career and technical education programs relevant to such businesses, including how to use such programs to satisfy hiring needs of such businesses;
(X)
providing information to career and technical education programs about how students and graduates of such programs can access resources and services of small business development centers to start and expand a small business concern; and
(Y)
as appropriate, connecting small businesses with career and technical education programs to assist students and graduates of such programs with identifying career opportunities.
(c) Women’s business centers
Section 29(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656(b)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (2), by striking and
at the end;
(2)
in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
(4)
providing educational information to small business concerns owned and controlled by women on—
(A)
hiring graduates from career and technical education programs; and
(B)
career and technical education programs relevant to such concerns, including how to use such programs to satisfy hiring needs of such concerns;
(5)
providing information to career and technical education programs about how students and graduates of such programs can access resources and services of women’s business centers to start and expand a small business concern; and
(6)
as appropriate, connecting small business concerns owned and controlled by women with career and technical education programs to assist students and graduates of such programs with identifying career opportunities.