1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; extending funds available for a workforce 
1.3 	development training program;amending Laws 2017, chapter 94, article 1, section 
1.4 	2, subdivision 3.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Laws 2017, chapter 94, article 1, section 2, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

1.7	Subd. 3.Workforce Development
 	$
	31,498,000
	$
	30,231,000

1.8	Appropriations by Fund
	
1.9	General
	$6,239,000
	$5,889,000
	
1.10
1.11	Workforce 
Development
	$25,259,000
	$24,342,000
	
1.12 	(a) $500,000 each year is for the 
1.13 	youth-at-work competitive grant program 
1.14 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116L.562. 
1.15 	Of this amount, up to five percent is for 
1.16 	administration and monitoring of the youth 
1.17 	workforce development competitive grant 
1.18 	program. All grant awards shall be for two 
1.19 	consecutive years. Grants shall be awarded in 
1.20 	the first year. In fiscal year 2020 and beyond, 
1.21 	the base amount is $750,000.
2.1 	(b) $250,000 each year is for pilot programs 
2.2 	in the workforce service areas to combine 
2.3 	career and higher education advising.
2.4 	(c) $500,000 each year is for rural career 
2.5 	counseling coordinator positions in the 
2.6 	workforce service areas and for the purposes 
2.7 	specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.8 	116L.667. The commissioner of employment 
2.9 	and economic development, in consultation 
2.10 	with local workforce investment boards and 
2.11 	local elected officials in each of the service 
2.12 	areas receiving funds, shall develop a method 
2.13 	of distributing funds to provide equitable 
2.14 	services across workforce service areas.
2.15 	(d) $1,000,000 each year is for a grant to the 
2.16 	Construction Careers Foundation for the 
2.17 	construction career pathway initiative to 
2.18 	provide year-round educational and 
2.19 	experiential learning opportunities for teens 
2.20 	and young adults under the age of 21 that lead 
2.21 	to careers in the construction industry. This is 
2.22 	a onetime appropriation. Grant funds must be 
2.23 	used to:
2.24 	(1) increase construction industry exposure 
2.25 	activities for middle school and high school 
2.26 	youth, parents, and counselors to reach a more 
2.27 	diverse demographic and broader statewide 
2.28 	audience. This requirement includes, but is 
2.29 	not limited to, an expansion of programs to 
2.30 	provide experience in different crafts to youth 
2.31 	and young adults throughout the state;
2.32 	(2) increase the number of high schools in 
2.33 	Minnesota offering construction classes during 
2.34 	the academic year that utilize a multicraft 
2.35 	curriculum;
3.1 	(3) increase the number of summer internship 
3.2 	opportunities;
3.3 	(4) enhance activities to support graduating 
3.4 	seniors in their efforts to obtain employment 
3.5 	in the construction industry;
3.6 	(5) increase the number of young adults 
3.7 	employed in the construction industry and 
3.8 	ensure that they reflect Minnesota's diverse 
3.9 	workforce; and
3.10 	(6) enhance an industrywide marketing 
3.11 	campaign targeted to youth and young adults 
3.12 	about the depth and breadth of careers within 
3.13 	the construction industry.
3.14 	Programs and services supported by grant 
3.15 	funds must give priority to individuals and 
3.16 	groups that are economically disadvantaged 
3.17 	or historically underrepresented in the 
3.18 	construction industry, including but not limited 
3.19 	to women, veterans, and members of minority 
3.20 	and immigrant groups.
3.21 	(e) $1,539,000 each year from the general fund 
3.22 	and $4,604,000 each year from the workforce 
3.23 	development fund are for the Pathways to 
3.24 	Prosperity adult workforce development 
3.25 	competitive grant program. Of this amount, 
3.26 	up to four percent is for administration and 
3.27 	monitoring of the program. When awarding 
3.28 	grants under this paragraph, the commissioner 
3.29 	of employment and economic development 
3.30 	may give preference to any previous grantee 
3.31 	with demonstrated success in job training and 
3.32 	placement for hard-to-train individuals. In 
3.33 	fiscal year 2020 and beyond, the general fund 
3.34 	base amount for this program is $4,039,000.
4.1 	(f) $750,000 each year is for a competitive 
4.2 	grant program to provide grants to 
4.3 	organizations that provide support services for 
4.4 	individuals, such as job training, employment 
4.5 	preparation, internships, job assistance to 
4.6 	fathers, financial literacy, academic and 
4.7 	behavioral interventions for low-performing 
4.8 	students, and youth intervention. Grants made 
4.9 	under this section must focus on low-income 
4.10 	communities, young adults from families with 
4.11 	a history of intergenerational poverty, and 
4.12 	communities of color. Of this amount, up to 
4.13 	four percent is for administration and 
4.14 	monitoring of the program. In fiscal year 2020 
4.15 	and beyond, the base amount is $1,000,000.
4.16 	(g) $500,000 each year is for the women and 
4.17 	high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional jobs 
4.18 	grant program under Minnesota Statutes, 
4.19 	section 116L.99. Of this amount, up to five 
4.20 	percent is for administration and monitoring 
4.21 	of the program. In fiscal year 2020 and 
4.22 	beyond, the base amount is $750,000.
4.23 	(h) $500,000 each year is for a competitive 
4.24 	grant program for grants to organizations 
4.25 	providing services to relieve economic 
4.26 	disparities in the Southeast Asian community 
4.27 	through workforce recruitment, development, 
4.28 	job creation, assistance of smaller 
4.29 	organizations to increase capacity, and 
4.30 	outreach. Of this amount, up to five percent 
4.31 	is for administration and monitoring of the 
4.32 	program. In fiscal year 2020 and beyond, the 
4.33 	base amount is $1,000,000.
4.34 	(i) $250,000 each year is for a grant to the 
4.35 	American Indian Opportunities and 
5.1 	Industrialization Center, in collaboration with 
5.2 	the Northwest Indian Community 
5.3 	Development Center, to reduce academic 
5.4 	disparities for American Indian students and 
5.5 	adults. This is a onetime appropriation. The 
5.6 	grant funds may be used to provide:
5.7 	(1) student tutoring and testing support 
5.8 	services;
5.9 	(2) training in information technology;
5.10 	(3) assistance in obtaining a GED;
5.11 	(4) remedial training leading to enrollment in 
5.12 	a postsecondary higher education institution;
5.13 	(5) real-time work experience in information 
5.14 	technology fields; and
5.15 	(6) contextualized adult basic education.
5.16 	After notification to the legislature, the 
5.17 	commissioner may transfer this appropriation 
5.18 	to the commissioner of education.
5.19 	(j) $100,000 each year is for the getting to 
5.20 	work grant program. This is a onetime 
5.21 	appropriation and is available until June 30, 
5.22 	2021.
5.23 	(k) $525,000 each year is from the workforce 
5.24 	development fund for a grant to the YWCA 
5.25 	of Minneapolis to provide economically 
5.26 	challenged individuals the job skills training, 
5.27 	career counseling, and job placement 
5.28 	assistance necessary to secure a child 
5.29 	development associate credential and to have 
5.30 	a career path in early childhood education. 
5.31 	This is a onetime appropriation.
5.32 	(l) $1,350,000 each year is from the workforce 
5.33 	development fund for a grant to the Minnesota 
6.1 	High Tech Association to support 
6.2 	SciTechsperience, a program that supports 
6.3 	science, technology, engineering, and math 
6.4 	(STEM) internship opportunities for two- and 
6.5 	four-year college students and graduate 
6.6 	students in their field of study. The internship 
6.7 	opportunities must match students with paid 
6.8 	internships within STEM disciplines at small, 
6.9 	for-profit companies located in Minnesota, 
6.10 	having fewer than 250 employees worldwide. 
6.11 	At least 300 students must be matched in the 
6.12 	first year and at least 350 students must be 
6.13 	matched in the second year. No more than 15 
6.14 	percent of the hires may be graduate students. 
6.15 	Selected hiring companies shall receive from 
6.16 	the grant 50 percent of the wages paid to the 
6.17 	intern, capped at $2,500 per intern. The 
6.18 	program must work toward increasing the 
6.19 	participation of women or other underserved 
6.20 	populations. This is a onetime appropriation.
6.21 	(m) $450,000 each year is from the workforce 
6.22 	development fund for grants to Minnesota 
6.23 	Diversified Industries, Inc. to provide 
6.24 	progressive development and employment 
6.25 	opportunities for people with disabilities. This 
6.26 	is a onetime appropriation.
6.27 	(n) $500,000 each year is from the workforce 
6.28 	development fund for a grant to Resource, Inc. 
6.29 	to provide low-income individuals career 
6.30 	education and job skills training that are fully 
6.31 	integrated with chemical and mental health 
6.32 	services. This is a onetime appropriation.
6.33 	(o) $750,000 each year is from the workforce 
6.34 	development fund for a grant to the Minnesota 
6.35 	Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs to administer 
7.1 	a statewide project of youth job skills and 
7.2 	career development. This project, which may 
7.3 	have career guidance components including 
7.4 	health and life skills, is designed to encourage, 
7.5 	train, and assist youth in early access to 
7.6 	education and job-seeking skills, work-based 
7.7 	learning experience including career pathways 
7.8 	in STEM learning, career exploration and 
7.9 	matching, and first job placement through 
7.10 	local community partnerships and on-site job 
7.11 	opportunities. This grant requires a 25 percent 
7.12 	match from nonstate resources. This is a 
7.13 	onetime appropriation.
7.14 	(p) $215,000 each year is from the workforce 
7.15 	development fund for grants to Big Brothers, 
7.16 	Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities for 
7.17 	workforce readiness, employment exploration, 
7.18 	and skills development for youth ages 12 to 
7.19 	21. The grant must serve youth in the Twin 
7.20 	Cities, Central Minnesota, and Southern 
7.21 	Minnesota Big Brothers, Big Sisters chapters. 
7.22 	This is a onetime appropriation.
7.23 	(q) $250,000 each year is from the workforce 
7.24 	development fund for a grant to YWCA St. 
7.25 	Paul to provide job training services and 
7.26 	workforce development programs and 
7.27 	services, including job skills training and 
7.28 	counseling. This is a onetime appropriation.
7.29 	(r) $1,000,000 each year is from the workforce 
7.30 	development fund for a grant to EMERGE 
7.31 	Community Development, in collaboration 
7.32 	with community partners, for services 
7.33 	targeting Minnesota communities with the 
7.34 	highest concentrations of African and 
7.35 	African-American joblessness, based on the 
8.1 	most recent census tract data, to provide 
8.2 	employment readiness training, credentialed 
8.3 	training placement, job placement and 
8.4 	retention services, supportive services for 
8.5 	hard-to-employ individuals, and a general 
8.6 	education development fast track and adult 
8.7 	diploma program. This is a onetime 
8.8 	appropriation.
8.9 	(s) $1,000,000 each year is from the workforce 
8.10 	development fund for a grant to the 
8.11 	Minneapolis Foundation for a strategic 
8.12 	intervention program designed to target and 
8.13 	connect program participants to meaningful, 
8.14 	sustainable living-wage employment. This is 
8.15 	a onetime appropriation.
8.16 	(t) $750,000 each year is from the workforce 
8.17 	development fund for a grant to Latino 
8.18 	Communities United in Service (CLUES) to 
8.19 	expand culturally tailored programs that 
8.20 	address employment and education skill gaps 
8.21 	for working parents and underserved youth by 
8.22 	providing new job skills training to stimulate 
8.23 	higher wages for low-income people, family 
8.24 	support systems designed to reduce 
8.25 	intergenerational poverty, and youth 
8.26 	programming to promote educational 
8.27 	advancement and career pathways. At least 
8.28 	50 percent of this amount must be used for 
8.29 	programming targeted at greater Minnesota. 
8.30 	This is a onetime appropriation.
8.31 	(u) $600,000 each year is from the workforce 
8.32 	development fund for a grant to Ujamaa Place 
8.33 	for job training, employment preparation, 
8.34 	internships, education, training in the 
8.35 	construction trades, housing, and 
9.1 	organizational capacity building. This is a 
9.2 	onetime appropriation.
9.3 	(v) $1,297,000 in the first year and $800,000 
9.4 	in the second year are from the workforce 
9.5 	development fund for performance grants 
9.6 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.8747, 
9.7 	to Twin Cities R!SE to provide training to 
9.8 	hard-to-train individuals. Of the amounts 
9.9 	appropriated, $497,000 in fiscal year 2018 is 
9.10 	for a grant to Twin Cities R!SE, in 
9.11 	collaboration with Metro Transit and Hennepin 
9.12 	Technical College for the Metro Transit 
9.13 	technician training program. This is a onetime 
9.14 	appropriation and funds are available until 
9.15 	June 30, 2020.
9.16 	(w) $230,000 in fiscal year 2018 is from the 
9.17 	workforce development fund for a grant to the 
9.18 	Bois Forte Tribal Employment Rights Office 
9.19 	(TERO) for an American Indian workforce 
9.20 	development training pilot project. This is a 
9.21 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
9.22 	June 30, 2019. Funds appropriated the first 
9.23 	year are available for use in the second year 
9.24 	of the biennium.
9.25 	(x) $40,000 in fiscal year 2018 is from the 
9.26 	workforce development fund for a grant to the 
9.27 	Cook County Higher Education Board to 
9.28 	provide educational programming and 
9.29 	academic support services to remote regions 
9.30 	in northeastern Minnesota. This appropriation 
9.31 	is in addition to other funds previously 
9.32 	appropriated to the board.
9.33 	(y) $250,000 each year is from the workforce 
9.34 	development fund for a grant to Bridges to 
9.35 	Healthcare to provide career education, 
10.1 	wraparound support services, and job skills 
10.2 	training in high-demand health care fields to 
10.3 	low-income parents, nonnative speakers of 
10.4 	English, and other hard-to-train individuals, 
10.5 	helping families build secure pathways out of 
10.6 	poverty while also addressing worker 
10.7 	shortages in one of Minnesota's most 
10.8 	innovative industries. Funds may be used for 
10.9 	program expenses, including, but not limited 
10.10 	to, hiring instructors and navigators; space 
10.11 	rental; and supportive services to help 
10.12 	participants attend classes, including assistance 
10.13 	with course fees, child care, transportation, 
10.14 	and safe and stable housing. In addition, up to 
10.15 	five percent of grant funds may be used for 
10.16 	Bridges to Healthcare's administrative costs. 
10.17 	This is a onetime appropriation and is 
10.18 	available until June 30, 2020.
10.19 	(z) $500,000 each year is from the workforce 
10.20 	development fund for a grant to the Nonprofits 
10.21 	Assistance Fund to provide capacity-building 
10.22 	grants to small, culturally specific 
10.23 	organizations that primarily serve historically 
10.24 	underserved cultural communities. Grants may 
10.25 	only be awarded to nonprofit organizations 
10.26 	that have an annual organizational budget of 
10.27 	less than $500,000 and are culturally specific 
10.28 	organizations that primarily serve historically 
10.29 	underserved cultural communities. Grant funds 
10.30 	awarded must be used for:
10.31 	(1) organizational infrastructure improvement, 
10.32 	including developing database management 
10.33 	systems and financial systems, or other 
10.34 	administrative needs that increase the 
11.1 	organization's ability to access new funding 
11.2 	sources;
11.3 	(2) organizational workforce development, 
11.4 	including hiring culturally competent staff, 
11.5 	training and skills development, and other 
11.6 	methods of increasing staff capacity; or
11.7 	(3) creation or expansion of partnerships with 
11.8 	existing organizations that have specialized 
11.9 	expertise in order to increase the capacity of 
11.10 	the grantee organization to improve services 
11.11 	for the community. Of this amount, up to five 
11.12 	percent may be used by the Nonprofits 
11.13 	Assistance Fund for administration costs and 
11.14 	providing technical assistance to potential 
11.15 	grantees. This is a onetime appropriation.
11.16 	(aa) $4,050,000 each year is from the 
11.17 	workforce development fund for the 
11.18 	Minnesota youth program under Minnesota 
11.19 	Statutes, sections 116L.56 and 116L.561.
11.20 	(bb) $1,000,000 each year is from the 
11.21 	workforce development fund for the 
11.22 	youthbuild program under Minnesota Statutes, 
11.23 	sections 116L.361 to 116L.366.
11.24 	(cc) $3,348,000 each year is from the 
11.25 	workforce development fund for the "Youth 
11.26 	at Work" youth workforce development 
11.27 	competitive grant program. Of this amount, 
11.28 	up to five percent is for administration and 
11.29 	monitoring of the youth workforce 
11.30 	development competitive grant program. All 
11.31 	grant awards shall be for two consecutive 
11.32 	years. Grants shall be awarded in the first year.
12.1 	(dd) $500,000 each year is from the workforce 
12.2 	development fund for the Opportunities 
12.3 	Industrialization Center programs.
12.4 	(ee) $750,000 each year is from the workforce 
12.5 	development fund for a grant to Summit 
12.6 	Academy OIC to expand its contextualized 
12.7 	GED and employment placement program. 
12.8 	This is a onetime appropriation.
12.9 	(ff) $500,000 each year is from the workforce 
12.10 	development fund for a grant to 
12.11 	Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota and its 
12.12 	partners. The grant shall be used to continue 
12.13 	the FATHER Project in Rochester, Park 
12.14 	Rapids, St. Cloud, Minneapolis, and the 
12.15 	surrounding areas to assist fathers in 
12.16 	overcoming barriers that prevent fathers from 
12.17 	supporting their children economically and 
12.18 	emotionally. This is a onetime appropriation.
12.19 	(gg) $150,000 each year is from the workforce 
12.20 	development fund for displaced homemaker 
12.21 	programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 
12.22 	116L.96. The commissioner shall distribute 
12.23 	the funds to existing nonprofit and state 
12.24 	displaced homemaker programs. This is a 
12.25 	onetime appropriation.
12.26 	(hh)(1) $150,000 in fiscal year 2018 is from 
12.27 	the workforce development fund for a grant 
12.28 	to Anoka County to develop and implement 
12.29 	a pilot program to increase competitive 
12.30 	employment opportunities for transition-age 
12.31 	youth ages 18 to 21.
12.32 	(2) The competitive employment for 
12.33 	transition-age youth pilot program shall 
12.34 	include career guidance components, including 
13.1 	health and life skills, to encourage, train, and 
13.2 	assist transition-age youth in job-seeking 
13.3 	skills, workplace orientation, and job site 
13.4 	knowledge.
13.5 	(3) In operating the pilot program, Anoka 
13.6 	County shall collaborate with schools, 
13.7 	disability providers, jobs and training 
13.8 	organizations, vocational rehabilitation 
13.9 	providers, and employers to build upon 
13.10 	opportunities and services, to prepare 
13.11 	transition-age youth for competitive 
13.12 	employment, and to enhance employer 
13.13 	connections that lead to employment for the 
13.14 	individuals served.
13.15 	(4) Grant funds may be used to create an 
13.16 	on-the-job training incentive to encourage 
13.17 	employers to hire and train qualifying 
13.18 	individuals. A participating employer may 
13.19 	receive up to 50 percent of the wages paid to 
13.20 	the employee as a cost reimbursement for 
13.21 	on-the-job training provided.
13.22 	(ii) $500,000 each year is from the workforce 
13.23 	development fund for rural career counseling 
13.24 	coordinator positions in the workforce service 
13.25 	areas and for the purposes specified in 
13.26 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116L.667. The 
13.27 	commissioner of employment and economic 
13.28 	development, in consultation with local 
13.29 	workforce investment boards and local elected 
13.30 	officials in each of the service areas receiving 
13.31 	funds, shall develop a method of distributing 
13.32 	funds to provide equitable services across 
13.33 	workforce service areas.
13.34 	(jj) In calendar year 2017, the public utility 
13.35 	subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 
14.1 	116C.779, must withhold $1,000,000 from the 
14.2 	funds required to fulfill its financial 
14.3 	commitments under Minnesota Statutes, 
14.4 	section 116C.779, subdivision 1, and pay such 
14.5 	amounts to the commissioner of employment 
14.6 	and economic development for deposit in the 
14.7 	Minnesota 21st century fund under Minnesota 
14.8 	Statutes, section 116J.423.
14.9 	(kk) $350,000 in fiscal year 2018 is for a grant 
14.10 	to AccessAbility Incorporated to provide job 
14.11 	skills training to individuals who have been 
14.12 	released from incarceration for a felony-level 
14.13 	offense and are no more than 12 months from 
14.14 	the date of release. AccessAbility Incorporated 
14.15 	shall annually report to the commissioner on 
14.16 	how the money was spent and the results 
14.17 	achieved. The report must include, at a 
14.18 	minimum, information and data about the 
14.19 	number of participants; participant 
14.20 	homelessness, employment, recidivism, and 
14.21 	child support compliance; and training 
14.22 	provided to program participants.

14.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from July 1, 2017.