House Bill 988

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI YOUTH CAREER AND WORKFORCE PREPARATION GRANT PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROGRAM SHALL BE USED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ACTING AS THE FISCAL AGENT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR YOUTH AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT HELP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT AND HARD SKILLS AND THAT ARE FOCUSED ON CAREER AND WORKFORCE PREPARATION; TO PROVIDE THAT ELIGIBLE GRANT RECIPIENTS SHALL INCLUDE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AFFILIATED WITH A CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS NATIONAL QUALITY AND SAFETY STANDARDS; TO PROVIDE THE CRITERIA THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE IN ORDER FOR AN APPLICANT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT; TO PROVIDE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Mississippi Youth Career and Workforce Preparation Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development. The grant program shall be used by the Office of Workforce Development, with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security acting as the fiscal agent, for the purpose of providing support for youth after-school programs that help with the development of soft and hard skills and that are focused on career and workforce preparation. Grant funds may be used for workforce readiness, workforce training, subcontracted services to carry out workforce training, equipment, personnel, software and technology, and transportation to the after-school program. The grant program shall be funded from monies appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose.

(2) The Office of Workforce Development shall prescribe the terms and conditions of grants awarded under the program. Eligible grant recipients shall include youth development non-profit organizations affiliated with a congressionally chartered national organization that has national quality and safety standards. In order to receive a grant under the program, applicants must submit a grant narrative and budget to the Office of Workforce Development that satisfies the following criteria:

(a) Reflects the intended use of the grant funds;

(b) Directly identifies the workforce readiness programs that will be used;

(c) Identifies the workforce pathway the applicant seeks to create or expand through their after-school program and explains how this pathway connects to the needs of the local economy;

(d) Identifies any community partners, employers, and/or virtual reality technology and services that may be used and clearly defines the role they will play; and

(e) Any other information that the office determines is necessary.

(3) Grant recipients may subcontract with virtual reality technology and services, providing programming for youth to enhance career and workforce preparation.

(4) The Office of Workforce Development may use a maximum of five percent (5%) of funds appropriated for the program for the administration of the program.

(5) The grant recipients shall submit an annual report to the Office of Workforce Development that contains a detailed explanation of how the funds appropriated for the program were awarded, how those grants were used by grant recipients, how many children are being trained in the after-school program and any other information deemed necessary to report by the Office of Workforce Development. The Office of Workforce Development shall submit the report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee and the Chair of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.