1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to workforce development; providing for career pathways coordinators; 
1.3 	requiring reports; appropriating money for career pathways coordinators; 
1.4 	appropriating money for the Minnesota youth program;proposing coding for 
1.5 	new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116L.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [116L.667] CAREER PATHWAYS COORDINATORS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Requirement. Each workforce service area must have a career 
1.9 	pathways coordinator who is responsible for improving coordination and communication 
1.10 	of workforce development programs and services within the workforce service area, with 
1.11 	other workforce service areas and career pathways coordinators, and with administering 
1.12 	agencies. A career pathways coordinator may serve as the coordinator for up to two 
1.13 	service areas.
1.14 		Subd. 2.Responsibilities. A career pathways coordinator is responsible for:
1.15 	(1) understanding the needs of existing, new, and prospective service area businesses 
1.16 	in regard to workforce development programs, resources, and other services;
1.17 	(2) connecting job seekers, secondary and higher education institutions, employers, 
1.18 	and other stakeholders and partners;
1.19 	(3) coordinating services to job seekers including career counseling, training, and 
1.20 	work experience opportunities;
1.21 	(4) assessing and compiling information about all workforce development programs 
1.22 	and services offered in the assigned workforce service area, including adult basic education 
1.23 	programs, programs and services at higher education institutions and kindergarten through 
1.24 	grade 12 schools, and FastTRAC programs and other grant programs;
2.1 	(5) making recommendations to the commissioner regarding ways to improve 
2.2 	career pathways coordination, possible program changes, and new workforce programs 
2.3 	or initiatives;
2.4 	(6) sharing best practices and collaborating with other career pathways coordinators 
2.5 	to promote and enable state-level coordination among workforce development programs 
2.6 	and administering agencies including but not limited to the Departments of Employment 
2.7 	and Economic Development, Education, and Labor and Industry, and the Office of Higher 
2.8 	Education; and
2.9 	(7) promoting available workforce development and career pathways programs and 
2.10 	resources in the workforce service area.
2.11 		Subd. 3.Reporting; consolidation. The workforce council in each of the workforce 
2.12 	service areas having a career pathways coordinator shall submit an annual report to 
2.13 	the commissioner that includes but is not limited to a narrative of and the number of 
2.14 	businesses, job seekers, and other stakeholders assisted by the career pathways coordinator 
2.15 	function, an accounting of workforce development and career pathways programs and 
2.16 	services offered in the assigned workforce service area, and any recommendations for 
2.17 	changes to workforce development efforts in the workforce service area. Beginning 
2.18 	January 15, 2016, and each year thereafter, the commissioner shall consolidate the reports 
2.19 	and submit the consolidated report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over 
2.20 	economic development and workforce policy and finance.

2.21 	Sec. 2.  CAREER PATHWAYS COORDINATORS; APPROPRIATION.
 2.22 	$1,250,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $1,250,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
2.23 	from the general fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development 
2.24 	for up to nine career pathways coordinator positions in the workforce service areas and 
2.25 	for the purposes specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 116L.667. The commissioner, 
2.26 	in consultation with local workforce councils and local elected officials in each of the 
2.27 	workforce service areas receiving funds, shall develop a method of distributing funds to 
2.28 	provide equitable services across workforce service areas.

2.29 	Sec. 3. MINNESOTA YOUTH PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.
 2.30 	(a) $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 are 
2.31 	appropriated from the general fund, and $3,500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $3,500,000 
2.32 	in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated from the workforce development fund, to the 
2.33 	commissioner of employment and economic development for the Minnesota youth 
2.34 	program under Minnesota Statutes, sections 116L.56 and 116L.561.
3.1 	(b) Funds available under this section are to provide employment and career advising 
3.2 	to youth, including career guidance in local kindergarten through grade 12 schools, to 
3.3 	address the youth career advising deficiency, to carry out activities outlined in Minnesota 
3.4 	Statutes, section 116L.561, to provide support services, and to provide work experience 
3.5 	to youth in the workforce service areas. The funds in this paragraph may be used for 
3.6 	expansion of the pilot program combining career and higher education advising in Laws 
3.7 	2013, chapter 85, article 3, section 27. Activities in workforce service areas under this 
3.8 	paragraph may serve all youth up to age 24. The commissioner, in consultation with 
3.9 	local workforce investment boards and local elected officials in each of the service areas 
3.10 	receiving funds under this paragraph, shall develop a method of distributing funds to 
3.11 	provide equitable services across workforce service areas.