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.

new text begin [175.46] YOUTH SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Program established. new text end

new text begin 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.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms in this subdivision have
the meanings given.
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new text begin (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.
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new text begin (c) "Public agency" means a city, county, town, school district, postsecondary institution,
or the administrative entity of a local workforce development area.
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new text begin (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:
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new text begin (1) the work of the student learner in the occupations declared particularly hazardous
shall be incidental to the training;
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new text begin (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;
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new text begin (3) safety instruction shall be given by the school and correlated by the employer with
on-the-job training; and
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new text begin (4) a schedule of organized and progressive work processes to be performed on the job
shall have been prepared.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Duties. new text end

new text begin (a) In administering the youth skills training program, the commissioner
is responsible for:
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new text begin (1) establishing guidelines and standards for the program, including approval of
occupations and maintenance of a list of approved occupations for the program;
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new text begin (2) issuing requests for proposals for grants;
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new text begin (3) working with individuals representing industry and labor to develop new youth skills
training program areas;
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new text begin (4) approving the statewide program curricula for approved occupations;
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new text begin (5) monitoring youth skills training programs;
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new text begin (6) providing technical assistance to local partnership grantees;
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new text begin (7) other activities as necessary to implement the program; and
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new text begin (8) providing a path for receiving postsecondary credit for participation in the youth
skills training program.
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new text begin (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.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Interaction with child labor laws. new text end

new text begin 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.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Other apprenticeship programs. new text end

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

new text begin (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.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Applications. new text end

new text begin (a) Applications must be made to the commissioner on a form
provided by the commissioner.
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new text begin (b) A local partnership shall include in its grant application:
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new text begin (1) the identity of each public agency, nonprofit organization, or individual who is a
participant in the local partnership;
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new text begin (2) a plan to accomplish the implementation and coordination of activities specified in
subdivision 7; and
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new text begin (3) the identity of a fiscal agent responsible for receiving, managing, and accounting of
the grant.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Grant awards. new text end

new text begin A local partnership awarded a grant under this section may use
the grant award for any of the following implementation and coordination activities:
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new text begin (1) recruiting employers to provide on-the-job training and supervision for student
learners and providing technical assistance to those employers;
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new text begin (2) recruiting students to participate in the local youth skills training program and
monitoring the progress of student learners participating in the program;
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new text begin (3) coordinating youth skills training activities within participating school districts and
among participating school districts, postsecondary institutions, and employers;
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new text begin (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
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new text begin (5) any other implementation or coordination activity that the commissioner may direct
or permit the local partnership to perform.
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new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Grant amounts. new text end

new text begin 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.
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new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Outcomes. new text end

new text begin The following outcomes are expected of a local youth skills training
program:
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new text begin (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
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new text begin (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.
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new text begin Subd. 10. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin (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:
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new text begin (1) the number of student learners who commenced the training program and the number
who completed the training program; and
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new text begin (2) recommendations, if any, for changes to the program.
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new text begin (b) The initial report shall include a detailed description of the differences between the
state and federal systems in child safety standards.
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Sec. 2. new text begin YOUTH SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $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.
new text end