THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, FARNESE, STOUT, MUSTO, O'PAKE, WONDERLING AND FERLO, FEBRUARY 20, 2009

REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009  

AN ACT

Authorizing the Department of Labor and Industry to establish

the Youth Empowerment Services Program; establishing the

Youth Empowerment Account; and making an appropriation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

CHAPTER 1

PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

Section 101.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Youth

Empowerment Services Act.

Section 102.  Statement of purpose.

It is the purpose of the program under this act to create a

framework whereby work-related experiences and opportunities are

used to bring relevance to classroom experience, support

successful postsecondary transitions into college and careers,

reduce violence, enhance self-respect and respect for others,

encourage self-sufficiency and productivity and develop valuable

employment skills for youth.

Section 103.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Internship."  A paid or unpaid workplace program during the

academic year or summer months providing an opportunity to

combine practical work experience with educational experience.

"Local workforce investment area."  Areas designated by the

Governor in accordance with the Workforce Investment Act of 1998

(Public Law 105-220, 112 Stat. 936).

"Twenty-first century skills."  Those skills deemed by

employers to be required for successful employment in 21st

century workplaces, including core academic skills, global

awareness, financial and entrepreneurial literacy and civic

awareness, learning and thinking skills and information and

communications technology skills.

"Work-based learning."  An experience-based educational

strategy for program participants designed to enhance the

traditional goals of education, including academic achievement,

career development and social responsibility.

"Workforce investment board."  A board established by the

Governor of Pennsylvania in accordance with the Workforce

Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-220, 112 Stat. 936).

"Youth council."  A subgroup within each local workforce

investment board as defined by the Workforce Investment Act of

1998 (Public Law 105-220, 112 Stat. 936), including

representatives of local agencies with a special interest in or

expertise in youth policy.

"Youth Empowerment Services Program" or "program."  The

program established under section 301.

"Youth participant."  A person who participates in the Youth

Empowerment Services Program who is between 14 and 21 years of

age and a member of a household at 235% or less of the Federal

poverty level.

CHAPTER 3

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SERVICES PROGRAM

Section 301.  Authorization.

(a)  General rule.--Notwithstanding any law to the contrary,

the Department of Labor and Industry, in cooperation with the

Department of Education, is hereby authorized to establish the

Youth Empowerment Services Program to create public-private

partnerships linking eligible youth participants with economic

and learning opportunities in workplaces within this

Commonwealth's local workforce investment areas. The program may

include, subject to appropriation, the award of matching grants

to local youth councils that demonstrate private sector support

for internships and related workplace experiences.

(b)  Administration.--Workforce investment boards and their

youth councils shall administer grant funds and support efforts

by employers to develop and implement internships and related

workplace experiences. Funding for the program may be used to

support activities including, but not limited to:

(1)  Connecting schools, students and employers to

provide high-quality workplace experiences that enhance

academic and occupational skills.

(2)  Paying student wages.

(3)  Supporting summer and year-round internships and

employment opportunities.

(4)  Providing opportunities for career preparation in

this Commonwealth's high-priority occupations.

(5)  Developing programs to support academic,

occupational and workforce preparation for out-of-school

youth, youth at risk of dropping out of school and other at-

risk youth, including court-involved youth and youth who are

in or aging out of foster care.

(6)  Addressing and removing barriers to student

participation in the program.

(7)  Evaluating postprogram outcomes to assess

effectiveness and to promote continuous improvement.

(8)  Promoting acquisition of 21st century skills, life

skills, connections to caring adults and postsecondary

transitions into college and careers.

Section 302.  Eligibility.

(a)  Recipients.--A local youth council, through its

workforce investment board, is eligible to receive funds under

the program if it meets the requirements under subsection (b).

(b)  Detailed plan.--To be eligible to receive matching

funds, each workforce investment board and youth council must

submit a detailed plan demonstrating the following:

(1)  A strong working relationship with private sector

employers in the local workforce area, particularly with

regard to the development and effective implementation of

high-quality internships for youth 14 to 21 years of age.

(2)  Matching funds from private sector employers

required under section 303(c).

(3)  The ability to support and oversee internships and

workplace experiences.

(4)  The ability to build on and integrate other youth

workforce development programs currently operating in the

local workforce investment area.

(5)  The ability to meet the accountability measures

under subsection (c).

(6)  An explanation of how the program will support and

promote the work of the local youth council and workforce

investment board.

(c)  Accountability measures.--A workforce investment board

and youth council receiving the funds under this act shall be

held to specific accountability measures for program

participants, including, but not limited to:

(1)  Increased work readiness, as evidenced by improved

scores on recognized assessments of workplace skills.

(2)  Increased graduation rates.

(3)  Increased transition to appropriate postsecondary

education employment, apprenticeships or other high-quality

job training programs.

(4)  Reductions in incidence of youth violence and

involvement in the juvenile justice system.

(5)  Measures of student, parent and employer

satisfaction.

(d)  Employer duties.--A participating employer shall provide

an internship that includes mentoring and work-based learning. A

participating employer shall also work closely with schools and

community partners supporting participating students.

Section 303.  Allocations.

(a)  General rule.--Ninety percent of the funds available

under this act shall be available to local workforce investment

boards and youth councils to match employer contributions for

youth internships.

(b)  Formula.--Funds shall be allocated to local workforce

investment boards and youth councils consistent with the formula

contained in the youth provisions of the Workforce Investment

Act of 1998 (Public-Law 105-220, 112 Stat. 936). In the event

that local workforce investment boards and youth councils have

insufficient matching funds to leverage all of the available

allocation, the remaining funds shall be made available to those

workforce investment boards and youth councils demonstrating the

ability to provide the required matching funds.

(c)  Matching funds.--A participating employer shall provide

at least 50% of the wages and other costs associated with an

internship.

CHAPTER 5

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 501.  Appropriation.

The sum of $100,000,000, or as much thereof as may be

necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Labor and

Industry for the fiscal year July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, to

carry out the provisions of this act.

Section 502.  Youth Empowerment Account.

There is established in the General Fund a special account to

be known as the Youth Empowerment Account. Funds in the account

shall be subject to an annual appropriation and shall be

administered as provided by this act. This account shall be

administered by the Department of Labor and Industry.

Section 503.  Prohibitions and restrictions.

A workforce investment board and youth council may use no

more than 10% of grant funds for administrative costs.

Section 504.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.