THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, STACK, FONTANA, MUSTO, O'PAKE, WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON, FARNESE, KITCHEN, LOGAN, MELLOW AND ERICKSON, APRIL 20, 2010

REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, APRIL 20, 2010  

AN ACT

Establishing the Youth Job Creation Program and continuing

federally funded subsidized adult employment programs.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

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

Creation Program Act.

Section 2.  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:

"Community-based agency."  A private, nonprofit organization

that is representative of a community or a significant segment

of a community that is engaged in meeting human, educational or

environmental community needs. The term shall include community

development corporations, neighborhood groups and organizations,

union-related organizations, employer-related nonprofit

organizations, organizations operating career intern or literacy

programs, educational or religious institutions and other

nonprofit organizations.

"Department."  The Department of Labor and Industry of the

Commonwealth.

"Program."  The Youth Job Creation Program established under

section 3.

"Qualified youth."  An individual between 16 and 21 years of

age.

"TANF."  The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program

under the Social Security Act (49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et

seq.).

Section 3.  Youth Job Creation Program.

(a)  Establishment.--The Youth Job Creation Program is

established within the department to provide grants to

community-based agencies to provide funding to hire qualified

youth for subsidized employment.

(b)  Benefits.--The following shall apply:

(1)  Qualified youth may be employed for no more than six

weeks at an hourly rate of $9 per hour, unless limited by

Federal regulation.

(2)  The maximum number of hours for each individual

employed under the program shall be 25 hours per week for no

more than six weeks.

(c)  Eligibility.--A qualified youth shall be eligible if the

youth is unemployed. The receipt of TANF benefits by the

qualified youth's parents or legal guardians shall not preclude

eligibility.

Section 4.  Powers and duties of the department.

The department shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)  To establish procedures for community-based agencies

to apply for the funds available under this act.

(2)  To provide notice to community-based agencies,

including Workforce Investment Boards of necessary procedures

and requirements to apply for the program. The notice may be

posted on the department's Internet website.

(3)  To provide a report within six months from the

effective date of this section to the chairman and minority

chairman of the Labor and Industry Committee of the Senate

and the chairman and minority chairman of the Labor Relations

Committee of the House of Representatives, which shall

provide an update on the increase in jobs with the

implementation of this act. The report shall be made

available for public inspection and posted on the

department's publicly accessible Internet website.

(4)    To audit grants or funds awarded under this act to

ensure that funds have been used in accordance with this act

and the terms and standards adopted by the department.

Section 5.  Funding.

No more than 17% of the funds in the Tobacco Product Tax

Account shall be used to fund the program.

Section 20.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.