ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
ASSEMBLY, No. 459
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
ADOPTED NOVEMBER 7, 1996
Sponsored by Assemblyman ROMA
An Act concerning grants provided under the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership and related federal programs and amending and supplementing P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) In the case of any grant awarded by the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership to a consortium pursuant to sections 5, 6 or 7 of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-5, 34:15E-6 or 34:15E-7), each participant in the consortium, including any participating employer, business or trade organization, labor organization or institution of higher education or other educational institution, shall be eligible to serve as the fiscal agent for the consortium. Each grant shall be awarded to a consortium for a term of two or more years, and the grant shall be based on an agreement that a program providing each student with the option of post-secondary education linkages pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-7) shall be implemented during the term of the grant. Applications for grants shall be accepted at any time throughout each program year and grants shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to applicants that are determined by the committee to meet all of the requirements of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-1 et seq.) and have a reasonable likelihood of creating new apprenticeship programs or linkage programs for existing or new apprenticeship programs, except that if the committee finds that the total value of all grants it will provide during a program year will exceed the funds available to the partnership, the committee shall award the grants only to the applicants it determines are most likely to create the apprenticeship or linkage programs pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-5). The committee shall seek the assistance of the Workforce Investment Boards in each local area to bring together employers, business and trade organizations, labor organizations and institutions of higher education and other educational institutions to establish consortia in each local area and shall consult with the Workforce Investment Board where a consortium is located before awarding a grant to the consortium. The provisions of this section shall be disclosed in writing to each employer, business or trade organization, labor organization or institution of higher education or other educational institution participating in a consortium which applies for a grant from the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership.
2. Section 7 of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-7) is amended to read as follows:
7. Each consortium which is awarded a grant from the partnership shall establish a program which provides each participating student with the option of linkages from apprenticeship to [subsequent] post-secondary education. Grants may also be provided to consortiums pursuant to this section to create new linkage programs for existing apprenticeship programs. To implement the provisions of this section, each consortium shall include, among the participating educational institutions, one or more institutions of higher education and may include other appropriate post-secondary education institutions. Each participating educational institution in a consortium which is awarded a grant shall develop or modify the classroom curriculum for apprentices to make the classroom training applicable toward associate and baccalaureate degrees. In addition, participating educational institutions shall develop[, to the extent feasible,] articulation in post-secondary programs which provides participating apprentices with options to obtain associate or baccalaureate degrees and, to the extent feasible, progress from apprenticeable trades to professional occupations. The purpose of the program is to enhance the prestige of education for skilled technical work by providing front-line workers with opportunities for lifelong vocationally-relevant learning and advancement.
(cf: P.L.1993, c.268, s.7)
3. (New section) No subgrant shall be provided to any local partnership in this State pursuant to section 215(b) of the "School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994," Pub.L. 103-239 (20 U.S.C. §6145(b)) or under any other federal school-to-work program, unless the Apprenticeship Policy Committee reviews the application of the local partnership and determines that the provisions of the application for the subgrant includes provisions which ensure that no funds from the subgrant will be used in a manner which:
a. Will in any way replace, supplant, compete with or duplicate any apprenticeship program which is registered by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training of the U.S. Department of Labor;
b. Is inconsistent with any provision of section 601 of the "School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994," Pub.L. 103-239 (20 U.S.C. §6231).
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Concerns Youth Transitions to Work Partnership and related federal grants.