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An Act establishing a Water Apprenticeship, Training, and ¹Employment¹ Resources (“WATER”) Pilot Program and supplementing ¹[P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-1 et seq.)] Title 34 of the Revised Statutes¹.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. ¹As used in this section:

“Department” means the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

“Eligible applicant” means a business, labor organization, college or university, workforce training provider, non-profit organization, public utility, local government entity or authority, trade organization, or other entity that offers or plans to offer a water-related apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor, and that has partnered with an industry to offer or fund that apprenticeship program.

“Program participant” or “participant” means a person who participates in an apprenticeship program operating pursuant to the WATER Pilot Program.

“WATER Pilot Program” or “program” means the Water Apprenticeship, Training, and Employment Resources Pilot Program established pursuant to this act.

b.¹ There is established in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development a five¹-¹year Water Apprenticeship, Training, and Employment Resources (“WATER”) Pilot Program, which shall provide grants to support funding for adult apprenticeship programs in water infrastructure, water utilities, and other water-related sectors, including, but not limited to, those ¹sectors¹ employing wastewater workers, ¹and those sectors¹ focusing on underserved and underrepresented communities. A grant may extend beyond one year in duration. To be eligible for ¹[the] a¹ grant, the ¹relevant¹ apprenticeship program shall be accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor, or shall be in the process of obtaining that accreditation. The ¹[program] WATER Pilot Program¹ shall be administered by the Office of Apprenticeship in the department.

¹[b.] c.¹ To apply for ¹[the] a WATER Pilot Program¹ grant, an organization shall submit an application to the Office of Apprenticeship, which shall include documentation ¹demonstrating¹ that the apprenticeship ¹[which] program¹ the organization is sponsoring ¹either¹ is or will be accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor. Any organizational sponsor of an apprenticeship program ¹[is] , including, but not limited to, a business, labor organization, college or university, workforce training provider, non-profit organization, public utility, local government entity or authority, or trade organization, shall be¹ eligible to receive ¹[the] a WATER Pilot Program¹ grant¹[, including:

(1) businesses;

(2) labor organizations;

(3) colleges;

(4) workforce training providers; and

(5) non-profit organizations;

(6) public utilities;

(7) local government entities and authorities; and

(8) trade organizations]¹.

¹[c.] d.¹ No later than ¹[July 1, 2021] six months after the effective date of this act¹, the department shall begin accepting grant applications ¹[to be] from eligible applicants for the WATER Pilot Program, and initial grant awards shall be approved and¹ awarded no later than ¹[January 1, 2022 from] one year after the effective date of this act, using¹ funds allocated to the program. The department shall rank eligible applicants ¹[for grants]¹ based upon ¹its consideration of¹:

(1) each applicant’s potential to:

(a) reach a broad audience through its recruitment and outreach efforts;

(b) significantly increase enrollment ¹in,¹ and completion of¹,¹ the apprenticeship program ¹by program participants¹, including ¹[enrollment]¹ by ¹members of¹ underserved and underrepresented communities; and

(2) the applicant’s partnership with an industry for which apprenticeship programs targeted at training and providing skilled workers who have the ability to perform jobs in that industry have demonstrated positive outcomes.

¹[d.] e. (1)¹ An eligible applicant ¹[is] shall be¹ required to demonstrate that ¹[it] the applicant¹ intends and is prepared to contribute ¹[its] the applicant’s¹ own financial resources to the apprenticeship program and has secured an industry partner or a monetary or in-kind contribution, including conditional job placement guarantees, from an industry partner. Moreover, each eligible applicant shall provide documentation of:

¹[(1)] (a)¹ the apprenticeship program’s curriculum, location, and skills to be taught;

¹[(2)] (b)¹ the recruitment efforts ¹[for] that will be used to promote and facilitate enrollment in¹ the apprenticeship program, and projected enrollment ¹rates, both¹ with and without receipt of grant funds;

¹[(3)] (c)¹ a description of how the grant funds will be utilized;

¹[(4)] (d)¹ information on specific industry needs or gaps in the workforce that will be addressed by the apprenticeship program;

¹[(5)] (e)¹ costs to operate the apprenticeship program; and

¹[(6)] (f)¹ any other information the department requires.

¹(2)¹ An eligible applicant ¹who receives a grant pursuant to this section¹ shall¹:

(a)¹ partner with schools, utilities, water purveyors, and other water employers to effectively market ¹[these] available apprenticeship¹ opportunities;

¹(b)¹ strengthen local hiring preferences in support of more minority and women business enterprises¹[,];¹ and

¹(c)¹ hold an annual water summit where prospective workers, employers, and community partners can connect.

¹[e.] f.¹ An eligible applicant who is selected by the department ¹[for receipt of] to receive¹ a grant for the purpose of funding an apprenticeship program in accordance with ¹[P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)] this act¹, shall, on an annual basis for so long as the grant is provided, ¹[make an annual] submit a written¹ report¹,¹ to the commissioner¹[detailing], identifying¹ the ¹[enrollment] number of participants enrolled in the program, the number of participants ¹[completing] who have completed¹ the program, the number of participants ¹[obtaining] who have obtained¹ employment as a result of the program, and any other information ¹[as]¹ the commissioner may require.

¹[f. Beginning January 1, 2022.] g. One year after the effective date of this act¹, and each year thereafter for the duration of the [pilot grant program] WATER Pilot Program¹, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development shall submit to the Governor, and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a report that evaluates the results of the program and its effectiveness ¹both¹ in preparing individuals to meet existing and burgeoning workforce needs and ¹in¹ addressing ¹skills¹ gaps ¹[in skills]¹ in the workforce. ¹[The] Each¹ report shall¹:

(1)¹ include a recommendation regarding whether to renew the WATER Pilot Program, and¹,¹ if renewal is recommended, ¹[if] an indication as to whether¹ the program should be expanded or otherwise enhanced¹[. The report shall include:];¹

¹[(1) The] (2) identify the¹ number of grants awarded in the prior year, including the amount, recipient, and duration of each grant;

¹[(2) The] (3) identify the¹ number of individuals who enrolled in and completed an apprenticeship program offered by each grant recipient;

¹[(3) The] (4) identify the¹ number of individuals who obtained employment in a position that uses the skills for which they were trained by ¹[a] the¹ grant recipient, or in a position for which the completion of the apprenticeship program was a condition of employment; and

¹[(4) All] (5) include all¹ relevant information provided by grant recipients ¹[as to] regarding the¹ measurable outcomes of ¹program¹ participants.

¹[g. Funds from grants provided in accordance with P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)] h. Grant funds awarded pursuant to this act¹ shall not be used ¹, by a grant recipient, for any activities that¹:

(1) ¹[for any activities which]¹ replace, supplant, compete with, or duplicate¹,¹ in any way¹, any¹ existing ¹and¹ approved apprenticeship ¹[programs] program¹;

(2) ¹[to]¹ induce, encourage, or assist¹: (a)¹ any displacement of currently¹[-]¹ employed workers by ¹[trainees] program participants¹, including partial displacement ¹[by means]¹ such as ¹[reduced] when currently employed workers are subject to a reduction in the number of their working¹ hours ¹[of currently employed workers]¹; ¹(b)¹ any replacement of laid-off workers by ¹[trainees] program participants¹; or ¹[any] (c) the¹ relocation of ¹workplace¹ operations ¹[resulting] in a manner that results¹ in a loss of employment at a ¹[previous] previously existing¹ workplace; or

(3) ¹[to]¹ impair existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements, except that activities ¹[which] that¹ would be inconsistent with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement may be undertaken with the written concurrence of the collective bargaining unit and the employer or employers who are parties to the agreement.

¹[h. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill:

“Eligible applicant” means a business, labor organization, college, workforce training provider, non-profit organization, or any other entity that offers or plans to offer an apprenticeship program that is accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor and that has partnered with an industry to offer or fund the apprenticeship program.

“Department” means the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.]¹

2. There is established in the Department of the Treasury a special non-lapsing fund to be known as the WATER Fund. The fund shall consist of¹[:]¹ all monies appropriated by the Legislature for inclusion in the fund, investment earnings of the fund, and moneys contributed to the fund by private sources, to be used for the purposes of ¹[P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)] this act¹. The moneys in the fund shall be invested and reinvested by the Department of the Treasury. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall solicit grants ¹and donations to the fund¹ from interested public or private sources ¹[for the fund]¹.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.