Bill S.701

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1323 FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 701

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act authorizing the funding of capital expenditures for workforce development and adult basic education.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. To provide for a capital outlay program to support the capital needs of the adult basic education and workforce development systems so that these systems may better provide training to adults in the commonwealth who lack the skills necessary to obtain gainful employment, the sums set forth in section 2, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act, are hereby made available subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds.

SECTION 2. Department of Labor and Workforce Development 7003-xxxx For the purposes of state financial assistance in the form of competitive loans or grants for the construction, renovation and rental of classroom space used for the purpose of providing vocational training to adults in the commonwealth; for the purchase of computers, software and equipment, and the support services necessary for the use of such materials, used in the provision of vocational training to adults in the commonwealth; and to strengthen the provision of vocational training to adults in the commonwealth; provided, that said grants shall be administered by the department of labor and workforce development, through the commonwealth corporation, and shall be available to public or non-profit agencies that provide training to recipients of TAFDC or who are authorized by the department to accept individual training accounts pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act and that serve a majority of unemployed adults, adults with limited English proficiency or low-wage workers, as that term is used in section 2RR(b)(1)(i) of chapter 29; provided further, that the agencies receiving grants will be selected competitively by the department; provided further, that not less than 20 percent of the grants awarded shall be to agencies that provide training programs which combine adult basic education or English proficiency training with vocational training; and provided further, that preference shall be given to agencies that have demonstrated satisfactory levels of performance as defined and determined by the department, including the placement of workers in living wage jobs, and applications that demonstrate the likelihood of an adequate return on the commonwealth's investment.............................................................$100,000,000

Department of Education 7035 - xxxx For the purposes of state financial assistance in the form of competitive loans or grants for the construction, renovation and rental of classroom space used for the purpose of providing educational services to adults in the commonwealth who lack a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma or who lack English proficiency; for the purchase of computers, software, and equipment, and the support services necessary for the use of such materials, used in the provision of educational services to adults in the commonwealth who lack a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma or who lack English proficiency; and to strengthen the provision of educational services to adults in the commonwealth who lack a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma or who lack English proficiency; provided, that said grants shall be administered by the department of education and shall be available to public or non-profit agencies that the department approves to provide adult educational services and who serve a majority of unemployed adults, adults with limited English proficiency or low-wage workers, as that term is used in section 2RR(b)(1)(i) of chapter 29; provided further, that the agencies receiving grants will be selected competitively by the department; provided further, that the department shall work with the commonwealth corporation to create programs that combine adult basic education or English proficiency training with vocational training; and provided further, that preference shall be given to agencies that have demonstrated satisfactory levels of performance as defined and determined by the department, including the placement of workers in living wage jobs, and applications that demonstrate the likelihood of an adequate return on the commonwealth's investment...........................................................$100,000,000

SECTION 3. To meet the expenditures necessary to carry out section 2, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time, but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $200,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth, as aforesaid, shall be designated on their face, Workforce Development Improvement Loan, Act of 2003, and shall be issued for such maximum terms of years, not exceeding 20 years, as the governor may recommend to the general court pursuant to section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided, however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2029. All interest and payments on account of principal on such obligations shall be payable from the General Fund. Bonds and interest thereon issued under authority of this section shall, notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, be general obligations of the commonwealth.

SECTION 4. The state treasurer may borrow from time to time on the credit of the commonwealth such sums as may be necessary for the purpose of meeting payments authorized by section 2 and may issue and renew from time to time notes of the commonwealth therefor, bearing interest payable at such times and at such rates as shall be fixed by the state treasurer. The notes shall be issued and m ay be renewed one or more times for such terms, not exceeding one year, as the governor may recommend to the general court in accordance with Section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution, but the final maturities of such notes, whether original or renewal, shall not be later than June 30, 2009. Notes and interest thereon issued under the authority of this section, shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.