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SF 3056

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/08/2016 08:38am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to workforce development; modifying the women and high-wage,
high-demand, nontraditional jobs grant program; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116L.99.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116L.99, is amended to read:


116L.99 WOMEN AND HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND,
NONTRADITIONAL JOBS GRANT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

(a) For the purpose of this section, the following terms
have the meanings given.

(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of employment and economic
development.

(c) ''Eligible organization'' includes, but is not limited to:

(1) community-based organizations experienced in serving women;

(2) employers;

(3) business and trade associations;

(4) labor unions and employee organizations;

(5) registered apprenticeship programs;

(6) secondary and postsecondary education institutions located in Minnesota; and

(7) workforce and economic development agencies.

(d) "High-wage, high-demand" means occupations that represent at least 0.1 percent
of total employment in the base year, have an annual median salary which is higher than
the average for the current year, and are projected to have more total openings as a share
of employment than the average.

(e) "Low-income" means income less than 200 percent of the federal poverty
guideline adjusted for a family size of four.

(f) "Nontraditional occupations'' means those occupations in which women make
up less than 25 percent of the workforce as defined under United States Code, title 20,
section 2302.

(g) "Registered apprenticeship program'' means a program registered under United
States Code, title 29, section 50.

new text begin (h) "STEM" means science, technology, engineering, and math.
new text end

new text begin (i) "Women of color" means females age 18 and older who are American Indian,
Asian, Black, or Hispanic.
new text end

new text begin (j) "Girls of color" means females under age 18 who are American Indian, Asian,
Black, or Hispanic.
new text end

Subd. 2.

Grant program.

The commissioner shall establish the women and
high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional jobs grant program to increase the number of
women in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations. The commissioner shall
make grants to eligible organizations for programs that encourage and assist women to enter
high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations including but not limited to those in
the skilled trades, deleted text begin science, technology, engineering,deleted text end and deleted text begin math (STEM)deleted text end new text begin STEMnew text end occupations.new text begin
The commissioner must give priority to programs that encourage and assist women of color
to enter high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations and STEM occupations.
new text end

Subd. 3.

Use of funds.

(a) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used for:

(1) recruitment, preparation, placement, and retention of women, including new text begin women
of color,
new text end low-income women and women over 50 years old, in registered apprenticeships,
postsecondary education programs, on-the-job training, and permanent employment in
high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations;

(2) secondary or postsecondary education or other training to prepare women
to succeed in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations. Activities under
this clause may be conducted by the grantee or in collaboration with another institution,
including but not limited to a public or private secondary or postsecondary school;

(3) innovative, hands-on, best practices that stimulate interest in high-wage,
high-demand, nontraditional occupations among girls, increase awareness among
girls about opportunities in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations, or
increase access to secondary programming leading to jobs in high-wage, high-demand,
nontraditional occupations. Best practices include but are not limited to mentoring,
internships, or apprenticeships for girls in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional
occupations;

(4) training and other staff development for job seeker counselors and Minnesota
family investment program (MFIP) caseworkers on opportunities in high-wage,
high-demand, nontraditional occupations;

(5) incentives for employers and sponsors of registered apprenticeship programs
to retain women in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations for more than
one year;

(6) training and technical assistance for employers to create a safe and healthy
workplace environment designed to retain and advance women, including best practices
for addressing sexual harassment, and to overcome gender inequity among employers
and registered apprenticeship programs;

(7) public education and outreach activities to overcome stereotypes about women
in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations, including the development of
educational and marketing materials; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(8) new text begin services to new text end support deleted text begin fordeleted text end women in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional
occupations including but not limited to assistance with new text begin balancing work responsibilities;
skills training and education; family caregiving; financial assistance for child care,
transportation, and safe and stable housing;
new text end workplace issues resolutionnew text begin ;new text end and access to
advocacy assistance and servicesnew text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (9) recruitment, participation, and support of girls of color in approved training
programs or a valid apprenticeship program subject to section 181A.07, subdivision 7
new text end .

(b) Grant applications must include detailed information about how the applicant
plans to:

(1) increase women's participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations in which
women are currently underrepresented in the workforce;

(2) comply with the requirements under subdivision 3; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(3) use grant funds in conjunction with funding from other public or private
sourcesdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (4) collaborate with existing, successful programs for training, education,
recruitment, preparation, placement, and retention of women of color in high-wage,
high-demand, nontraditional occupations and STEM occupations.
new text end

(c) In awarding grants under this subdivision, the commissioner shall give priority
to eligible organizations:

(1) with demonstrated success in recruiting and preparing women, especially
low-income womennew text begin , women of color,new text end and women over 50 years old, for high-wage,
high-demand, nontraditional occupations; and

(2) that leverage additional public and private resources.

(d) At least 50 percent of total grant funds must be awarded to programs providing
services and activities targeted to low-income womennew text begin and women of colornew text end .

(e) The commissioner of employment and economic development in conjunction
with the commissioner of labor and industry shall monitor the use of funds under this
section, collect and compile information on the activities of other state agencies and public
or private entities that have purposes similar to those under this section, and identify other
public and private funding available for these purposes.

new text begin (f) By January 15, 2019, and each January 15 thereafter, the commissioner must
submit a report to the standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate
having jurisdiction over workforce development a report that details the use of grant
funds. If data is available, the report must contain data that is disaggregated by race,
cultural groups, family income, age, geographical location, migrant or foreign immigrant
status, primary language, whether the participant is an English learner under Minnesota
Statutes, section 124D.59, disability, and status of homelessness.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL JOBS GRANTS;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of employment and economic development for the high-wage, high-demand,
nontraditional jobs grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section 116L.99.
new text end