2018 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Jobs

John Bel Edwards: Equal pay for women; enact minimum wage

Louisiana has the highest wage inequity in the entire country. Everyone in this room should be offended that a woman makes only 66 cents for every dollar a man makes. She doesn't get charged any less when she's buying groceries for her family, and she shouldn't get paid any less when she's working the same job as a man every day. 91 percent of the people of Louisiana support the Louisiana Equal Pay Act. Why? Simply because it's the right thing to do. The same goes for raising the minimum wage. 18 states raised their minimum wage at the beginning of 2018, and yet Louisiana remains one of only 5 states not to have adopted a state minimum wage at all. Let's raise the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour over two years. Source: 2018 Louisiana State of the State address Mar 12, 2018

Jeff Colyer: Provide tools to fill 48,000 unfilled jobs in our state

Job growth and enhancing the quality of life for all Kansans must be our highest priority. So, here's my vision for Kansas:

Over the next few years, I want us to work together to steadily and professionally build Kansas to be a vibrant, growing state. In short, I want our children to see their best future right here in Kansas.

The Kansas unemployment rate is 3.4%. That's one of the lowest in the country. But if you travel around our state, it's impossible to miss the real-world struggles still faced by so many Kansas families. A rising tide lifts all boats, but too many of our people seem to be stranded on dry land. An expanding economy with opportunities for higher income and rising standards of living only works if our citizens have the right tools to make the most of their own lives.

Did you know there are more than 48,000 unfilled jobs in our state today? Truly, we have jobs looking for people. More and better jobs for Kansans is important to me personally.

Source: 2018 Kansas Inauguration/State of the State speech Feb 8, 2018

Henry McMaster: S.C.Workforce Partnership: shift from toolboxes to tablets

Workers who previously carried tool boxes now carry tablets. In South Carolina, our workforce must keep pace with our own success. We must invest in our workforce development institutions. Fortunately, we have the talent, vision & means to do just that.

The South Carolina Technical College System is the engine of our economic and workforce development. We should use this magnificent system to the fullest extent. To that end, I'm calling for the creation of the South Carolina Workforce Partnership.

This new initiative will connect businesses with high schools and technical colleges to collaborate on internships, dual credit and certificate programs for students interested in the skilled trades--focused on rural areas of our state. My budget also increases funding for Workforce Scholarships and Grants--so that more students can access the financial resources to obtain certificates and associate's degrees at our technical colleges.

Source: 2018 State of the State speech to South Carolina legislature Jan 24, 2018

Bill Walker: Address state economic recovery with jobs program

It is time to put Alaskans back to work, and that's why I have introduced the Alaska Economic Recovery Act. It doesn't take a team of economists to tell us what we already know: that our economy is in recession and Alaska has the highest unemployment in the nation. At the same time, lean capital budgets over the last few years have meant our schools & infrastructure are way overdue for maintenance. Passage of the Economic Recovery Act will provide a needed shot in the arm to the economy and create jobs. Source: 2018 Alaska State of the State address Jan 18, 2018

Ralph Northam: Strengthen workforce development and expand apprenticeships

I am committed to working to create more opportunities for Virginia workers to get a good job that empowers them to provide for their families and lead productive lives.

But bringing more jobs to Virginia is only half the battle. Too many of our fellow Virginians are out of work or underemployed because they lack the skills they need to begin a long-term career. And too many of our businesses are struggling to fill high-paying positions because they just can't find people with the right skills and training.

If we are going to make Virginia work better for everyone, strengthening our workforce development system and expanding access to registered apprenticeships are key.

During my campaign for Governor, I made connecting Virginians with the skills they need to succeed in a new economy the centerpiece of my agenda. My plan is to pay tuition and fees for any Virginian who pursues a credential in a high-demand field, if they commit to at least one year of public service.

Source: 2018 State of the State speech to Virginia legislature Jan 16, 2018

Nathan Deal: Full funding for technical education for jobs

We created a program, known as the HOPE Career Grant, which covers 100 percent of tuition for technical school students who enroll in one of Georgia's strategic industry, high-demand fields. 99.2% [of HOPE enrollees] find employment upon completion of their training and studies. I was proud to add five new categories to that incredibly successful program. We now have 17 specific fields that allow our employers to answer "yes" when I ask them whether they can find qualified candidates for open jobs. Source: 2018 Georgia State of the State address Jan 11, 2018

Kim Reynolds: Decide workforce training at local level with job creators

Working with the private sector, we will create the Iowa Employer Innovation Fund, which will revolutionize the way we think about workforce training. Instead of government deciding which programs are needed, decisions will be made at the local level by the businesses and job creators. They'll invest their money, in the training programs that best fit their needs, and the State innovation fund will provide matching dollars. Source: 2018 State of the State speech to Iowa legislature Jan 9, 2018

Phil Bryant: Mississippi Model: Cutting red tape increases jobs

Working together, we have also made it easier for our entrepreneurs to pursue the American dream, ridding our occupational licensing system of red tape that for too long had served as nothing more than a barrier to market entry. Other states are just now moving to adopt our plan to reduce regulatory burdens on professional services. It has become known across the United States simply as the "Mississippi Model." Source: 2018 Mississippi State of the State address Jan 9, 2018

The above quotations are from 2018 Governor's State of the State speeches. Click here for definitions & background information on Jobs. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Kay Ivey on Jobs. Click here for more quotes by Ralph Northam on Jobs.
*Candidates and political leaders on Jobs:*
*Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:* GA:Chambliss(R) IA:Harkin(D) MI:Levin(D) MT:Baucus(D) NE:Johanns(R) OK:Coburn(R) SD:Johnson(D) WV:Rockefeller(D) *Resigned from 113th House:* AL-1:Jo Bonner(R) FL-19:Trey Radel(R) LA-5:Rod Alexander(R) MA-5:Ed Markey(D) MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R) NC-12:Melvin Watt(D) SC-1:Tim Scott(R)	*Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:* AR-4:Tom Cotton(R) GA-1:Jack Kingston(R) GA-10:Paul Broun(R) GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R) HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D) IA-1:Bruce Braley(D) LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R) ME-2:Mike Michaud(D) MI-14:Gary Peters(D) MT-0:Steve Daines(R) OK-5:James Lankford(R) PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D) TX-36:Steve Stockman(R) WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)	*Retired House as of Jan. 2015:* AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R) AR-2:Tim Griffin(R) CA-11:George Miller(D) CA-25:Howard McKeon(R) CA-33:Henry Waxman(D) CA-45:John Campbell(R) IA-3:Tom Latham(R) MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R) NC-6:Howard Coble(R) NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D) NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R) NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D) NY-21:Bill Owens(D) PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R) UT-4:Jim Matheson(D) VA-8:Jim Moran(D) VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Apr 07, 2019