SF 474

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 01/31/2017 09:19am

A bill for an act
relating to workforce development; establishing a youth skills training program;
requiring reports; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 175.

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

Section 1.

[175.46] YOUTH SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Program established.

The commissioner shall administer a youth skills
training program established for the purpose of providing work-based skills training for
student learners ages 16 and 17. The commissioner shall award grants to local partnerships
for the implementation and coordination of local youth skills training programs as provided
in this section.

Subd. 2.

Definitions.

(a) For purposes of this section, the terms in this subdivision have
the meanings given.

(b) "Local partnership" means one or more school districts, or any combination of one
or more school districts, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, or individuals who
have agreed to be responsible for implementing and coordinating a local youth skills training
program.

(c) "Public agency" means a city, county, town, school district, postsecondary institution,
or the administrative entity of a local workforce development area.

(d) "Student learner" means a student who is employed on a part-time basis to obtain
both academic credit and employment training under a youth skills training program approved
under this section and the employment is subject to a written agreement, which provides
that:

(1) the work of the student learner in the occupations declared particularly hazardous
shall be incidental to the training;

(2) the work shall be intermittent and for short periods of time, and under the direct and
close supervision of a qualified and experienced person;

(3) safety instruction shall be given by the school and correlated by the employer with
on-the-job training; and

(4) a schedule of organized and progressive work processes to be performed on the job
shall have been prepared.

Subd. 3.

Duties.

(a) In administering the youth skills training program, the commissioner
is responsible for:

(1) establishing guidelines and standards for the program, including approval of
occupations and maintenance of a list of approved occupations for the program;

(2) issuing requests for proposals for grants;

(3) working with individuals representing industry and labor to develop new youth skills
training program areas;

(4) approving the statewide program curricula for approved occupations;

(5) monitoring youth skills training programs;

(6) providing technical assistance to local partnership grantees;

(7) other activities as necessary to implement the program; and

(8) providing a path for receiving postsecondary credit for participation in the youth
skills training program.

(b) The commissioner shall collaborate with stakeholders, including, but not limited to,
representatives of postsecondary institutions, business, and labor, in developing the youth
skills training program.

Subd. 4.

Interaction with child labor laws.

The commissioner shall grant an exemption
from any provisions of chapter 181A for the student learners participating in training
programs for occupations approved by the commissioner under this section, including, but
not limited to, provisions relating to hazardous occupations, time of day, and maximum
hours.

Subd. 5.

Other apprenticeship programs.

(a) The youth skills training program under
this section shall not affect any apprenticeship program that is governed by section 124D.47.

(b) A registered apprenticeship program governed by chapter 178 may grant credit
toward the completion of a registered apprenticeship for the successful completion of a
youth skills training program under this section.

Subd. 6.

Applications.

(a) Applications must be made to the commissioner on a form
provided by the commissioner.

(b) A local partnership shall include in its grant application:

(1) the identity of each public agency, nonprofit organization, or individual who is a
participant in the local partnership;

(2) a plan to accomplish the implementation and coordination of activities specified in
subdivision 7; and

(3) the identity of a fiscal agent responsible for receiving, managing, and accounting of
the grant.

Subd. 7.

Grant awards.

A local partnership awarded a grant under this section may use
the grant award for any of the following implementation and coordination activities:

(1) recruiting employers to provide on-the-job training and supervision for student
learners and providing technical assistance to those employers;

(2) recruiting students to participate in the local youth skills training program and
monitoring the progress of student learners participating in the program;

(3) coordinating youth skills training activities within participating school districts and
among participating school districts, postsecondary institutions, and employers;

(4) coordinating academic, vocational and occupational learning, school-based and
work-based learning, and secondary and postsecondary education for participants in the
local youth skills training program; and

(5) any other implementation or coordination activity that the commissioner may direct
or permit the local partnership to perform.

Subd. 8.

Grant amounts.

The maximum grant awarded may not exceed $........ per
student learner. A local partnership that is awarded a grant shall provide matching funds
equal to 50 percent of the grant amount awarded.

Subd. 9.

Outcomes.

The following outcomes are expected of a local youth skills training
program:

(1) at least 80 percent of the student learners who participate in the program for two
years must receive a high school diploma on completion of the training period; and

(2) at least 60 percent of the student learners who participate in the program for two
years must be offered employment by the employer that provided the on-the-job training
for the student learner on completion of the training period.

Subd. 10.

Reporting.

(a) Beginning in 2018, the commissioner shall annually by February
1 report on the activity and outcomes of the program for the preceding fiscal year to the
chairs of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over jobs and economic growth policy
and finance. At a minimum, the report must include:

(1) the number of student learners who commenced the training program and the number
who completed the training program; and

(2) recommendations, if any, for changes to the program.

(b) The initial report shall include a detailed description of the differences between the
state and federal systems in child safety standards.

Sec. 2. YOUTH SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.

$500,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2018 from the workforce development fund to
the commissioner of labor and industry to implement the youth skills training program under
Minnesota Statutes, section 175.46. The commissioner shall award up to five grants to local
partnerships located throughout the state, not to exceed $......... per local partnership grant.
The commissioner may expend up to five percent of this appropriation for administration
of the program.