1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employment; appropriating money from 
  1.3             federal TANF funds for a transitional employment 
  1.4             training project. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [WORKING FAMILY CREDIT; APPROPRIATION.] 
  1.7      (a) On a regular basis, the commissioner of revenue, with 
  1.8   the assistance of the commissioner of human services, shall 
  1.9   calculate the value of the refundable portion of the Minnesota 
  1.10  working family credits provided under Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.11  section 290.0671, that qualifies for federal reimbursement from 
  1.12  the temporary assistance to needy families (TANF) block grant.  
  1.13  The commissioner of revenue shall provide the commissioner of 
  1.14  human services with the expenditure records and information as 
  1.15  are necessary to support draw down of federal funds. 
  1.16     (b) Federal TANF funds, as specified in this paragraph, are 
  1.17  appropriated to the Southeast Asian Collaborative in Hennepin 
  1.18  county based on calculations under paragraph (a) of working 
  1.19  family tax credit expenditures that qualify for reimbursement 
  1.20  from the TANF block grant for an "intensive intervention" 
  1.21  transitional employment training project to move refugee and 
  1.22  immigrant welfare recipients into unsubsidized employment 
  1.23  leading to self-sufficiency.  The draw down of federal TANF 
  1.24  funds shall be made on a regular basis based on calculations of 
  1.25  credit expenditures by the commissioner of revenue.  $800,000 in 
  2.1   fiscal year 2002 is appropriated to the Southeast Asian 
  2.2   Collaborative in Hennepin county.  These funds shall be 
  2.3   transferred to the commissioner of revenue to deposit into the 
  2.4   general fund for the appropriation under this section.  These 
  2.5   funds shall not become part of the 2004-2005 base budget. 
  2.6      (c) One of the five partners in the collaborative shall be 
  2.7   chosen as the fiscal agent by the commissioner of human 
  2.8   services.  The primary effort must be on intensive employment 
  2.9   skills training, including workplace English and overcoming 
  2.10  cultural barriers, and on specialized training in fields of work 
  2.11  which involve a credit-based curriculum.  For recipients without 
  2.12  a high school diploma or a GED, extra effort shall be made to 
  2.13  help the recipient meet the "ability to benefit test" so the 
  2.14  recipient can receive financial aid for further training.  
  2.15  During the specialized training, efforts should be made to 
  2.16  involve the recipients with an internship program and retention 
  2.17  specialist.  A minor amount of the grant may be used for other 
  2.18  efforts to make the recipient families more self-sufficient as 
  2.19  provided within TANF rules.