HOUSE BILL NO. 526
INTRODUCED BY G. BRANAE, BERRY, BOHLINGER, CHRISTIAENS, COCCHIARELLA, DELL, FORRESTER, HARRINGTON, JACOBSON, JUNEAU, KAUFMANN, KEANE, LAWSON, LINDEEN, MANGAN, MATTHEWS, MCCARTHY, NEWMAN, SHEA, F. THOMAS, TOOLE, TROPILA, WANZENRIED, WITT
AN ACT CREATING THE MONTANA SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM; ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA; PROVIDING FOR PARTICIPANT ASSESSMENT; PROVIDING FOR ADMINISTRATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY THROUGH THE LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Short title -- purpose. [Sections 1 through 6] may be cited as the "Montana summer youth employment program", established pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) for the purpose of providing Montana's low-income and other at-risk youth with summer employment and job training that are directly linked to academic and occupational learning.
Section 2. Goals. With the creation of the Montana summer youth employment program, the legislature intends:
(1) to provide to as many eligible youth as possible a quality summer employment experience to assist them in achieving academic and employment success, with effective and comprehensive activities, including a variety of options for improving educational and skill competencies and effective connections to employers in a paid work experience setting;
(2) to provide opportunities for training and supportive services to eligible youth, with emphasis on the 14- to 17-year-old age group;
(3) to provide incentives for recognition and achievement to eligible youth;
(4) to provide opportunities for eligible youth to participate in activities related to leadership, development, decisionmaking, citizenship, and community service; and
(5) to ensure ongoing mentoring opportunities for eligible youth with adults committed to providing those opportunities.
Section 3. Eligibility -- exceptions. (1) To participate in the Montana summer youth employment program, a youth who is not funded by the temporary assistance to needy families block grant money must:
(a) be 14 through 17 years of age; and
(b) be economically disadvantaged or must:
(i) have been determined to meet the eligibility requirements for reduced or free meals under the National School Lunch Act during the most recent school year; or
(ii) be participating in a compensatory education program under Chapter 1 of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(2) A youth funded through the temporary assistance for needy families program must meet all eligibility requirements for that program except enrollment.
(3) Local workforce investment boards shall develop eligibility determination verification guidelines, including but not limited to verification of:
(a) age;
(b) income;
(c) citizenship;
(d) residency;
(e) participation in a reduced or free lunch program.
Section 4. Authorized services. The authorized services provided under the Montana summer youth employment program include:
(1) work experience, which includes planned, structured, work-based learning experiences that may occur in a nonprofit or for-profit, private or public sector workplace for a limited period of time. To the extent feasible, work experience must include contextual learning opportunities that integrate the development of general competencies with the development of academic skills.
(2) basic and remedial education and preemployment and work maturity skills, including but not limited to the job corps, the work opportunity readiness component of the FAIM project, as defined in 53-2-902, youth corps programs, alternative or secondary schools, tutoring, mentoring, or study skills training, and instruction leading to the completion of secondary school, including dropout prevention strategies and leadership development opportunities;
(3) classroom training, which may, to the extent feasible, include opportunities to apply knowledge and skills related to academic subjects pertaining to the work world;
(4) support services, including transportation, child care, medical care, training-related personal supplies, and comprehensive guidance and counseling provided to individuals if the services are reasonable and necessary to enable a participant who cannot otherwise afford to pay for the services to participate. Comprehensive guidance and counseling may include drug and alcohol abuse counseling and referral.
(5) educational linkages with appropriate educational agencies responsible for services to participants. Linkages may include arrangements to ensure that there is a regular exchange of information relating to the progress, problems, and needs of participants, including the results of assessments of the skill levels of participants.
Section 5. Program operation period -- participant assessment -- performance. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), the Montana summer youth employment program must be conducted during the school vacation period occurring during the summer months.
(2) In circumstances in which the local education agency operates a school on a year-round, full-time basis, Montana summer youth employment program activities may be offered to participants during periods that are the equivalent to a school summer vacation period.
(3) (a) The service strategies for each participant must be based on an objective assessment of the academic levels, skill levels, and service needs of each participant.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (3)(c), the assessment must include a review of basic skills, occupational skills, prior work experience, employability, interests, aptitudes, including interests and aptitudes for nontraditional jobs, supportive services needs, and developmental needs of the participant.
(c) A new assessment of a participant is not required if the provider carrying out the program determines that it is appropriate to use a recent assessment of the participant conducted pursuant to another education or training program.
(4) (a) Except as provided in subsection (4)(b), an individual service strategy must be developed for each participant to identify an employment goal, including, if appropriate, nontraditional employment, appropriate achievement objectives, and appropriate services for the participant. The strategy must take into account the assessment conducted pursuant to subsection (3)(a).
(b) A new service strategy for a participant is not required if the provider carrying out the program determines that it is appropriate to use a recent service strategy for the participant conducted pursuant to another education or training program.
(5) Service strategies for each participant must provide:
(a) preparation for postsecondary educational opportunities, if appropriate;
(b) strong linkages between academic and occupational learning;
(c) preparation for unsubsidized employment opportunities, if appropriate; and
(d) effective connections to intermediaries with strong links to the job market and local and regional employers.
(6) The core indicator of performance success for the Montana summer youth employment program is the rate of successful completion by a participant of the program objectives as indicated on each individual's service strategy at the beginning of the program.
Section 6. Administration. The Montana summer youth employment program must be administered by the local workforce investment boards as identified under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and as designated by the governor. Implementation is contingent on the availability and appropriation of funding. Oversight of the program must be provided by the bureau of program management in the job service division of the department of labor and industry.
Section 7. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 through 6] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 39, and the provisions of Title 39 apply to [sections 1 through 6].
Section 8. Effective date. [This act] is effective May 1, 2001.
Section 9. Termination. [This act] terminates September 15, 2003.
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Latest Version of HB 526 (HB0526.ENR)
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