SECTION 1.  Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, shall be amended, after section 2VVVV, by inserting the following new section:-

     Section 2WWWW. There shall be established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Truck Driver Training Fund. The fund shall be administered by the board of higher education. The fund shall be used to administer a program to support training and education programs that address the workforce shortages of truck drivers for the commercial transportation industry with the goal of training students, creating new jobs, retaining and upgrading existing jobs, and retraining existing workers to implement new technologies and to help meet the workforce needs of the trucking industry. The fund shall be credited with all revenues collected from the surcharge imposed by section 8 of chapter 90. The fund shall not be subject to section 5C of chapter 29.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 74 of the General Laws is hereby amended at the end thereof by adding the following section:-

    Section 58.  The board of higher education shall establish and maintain, in cooperation with local public and vocational school authorities, postsecondary technical schools and the boards of trustees of community colleges, a program to support training and education programs that address the workforce shortages of truck drivers for the commercial transportation industry with the goal of training students, creating new jobs, retaining and upgrading existing jobs, and retraining existing workers to implement new technologies and to help meet the workforce  needs of the trucking industry within the Commonwealth.

     There shall be a grant program, funded by the Truck Driver Training Fund, to implement this section to which employers shall have access to:

     (i)  identify, support or establish collaborative regional partnerships including, but not limited to, employers, workforce development and education organizations, regional economic development organizations established pursuant to sections 3J and 3K of chapter 23A and economic development officials where a demand for truck drivers exists;

     (ii)  address critical workforce shortages for truck drivers in the commercial motor transportation sector;

     (iii)  improve and increase employment opportunities for truck drivers in the commercial motor transportation sector for low-income individuals, women, minorities and veterans;

     (iv)  provide training and educational or career ladder services for employed or unemployed truck drivers in the commercial motor transportation sector who are seeking new positions or responsibilities within the industry;

     (vi)  boost industry-relevant instructor capacity for high school and postsecondary programs; and

     (vii)  direct support for succession planning, worker retention and upskilling strategies for older and incumbent workers.

     For the purposes of the grant program, “eligible applicants” shall include, but not be limited to: (i) employers and employer associations; (ii) local workforce investment boards; (iii) institutions of higher education; (iv) kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, and vocational education institutions; (v) private for-profit and nonprofit organizations providing education and workforce training; (vi) 1-stop career centers; (vii) local workforce development entities; and (viii) any partnership or collaboration between eligible applicants. Any funds allocated through the program shall complement and not replace existing local, state, private or federal funding for training and educational programs.

     A grant proposal submitted pursuant to this section shall include, but not be limited to:

     (i)  a plan that defines specific goals for increasing the number of truck drivers in the commercial motor transportation sector;

     (ii)  the evidence-based programs the applicant shall use to meet the goals;

     (iii)  a budget necessary to implement the plan, including a detailed description of any funding or in-kind contributions that an applicant will be providing in support of the proposal;

     (iv)  any other private funding or private sector participation that the applicant anticipates in support of the proposal; and

     (v)  the proposed number of individuals who would be enrolled, complete training and be placed into employment within the trucking or related industries.

     The board of higher education shall, in consultation with the executive office of housing and economic development, executive office of labor and workforce development, the department of education and entities representing parties who are eligible to participate in the grant program, develop guidelines for an annual review of the progress being made by each grantee.  A grantee shall participate in any evaluation or accountability process implemented by or authorized by the commonwealth corporation.  The board shall file annual reports for the duration of the programs with the chairs of the house and senate committee on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee on labor and workforce development and the chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies not later than January 1; provided, however, that the report shall include an overview of the activities of the programs, the number of participants in the programs and the employment outcomes in the programs.

SECTION 3. Section 8 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting the following new paragraph at the end thereof:-

There shall be a surcharge of $5 on all applications for licensure or renewal of a commercial drivers license. The surcharge shall be transferred by the registrar of motor vehicles to the state treasurer for deposit into the Truck Driver Training Fund established in section 2WWWW of chapter 29.

SECTION 4.  Section 8B of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting the following new paragraph at the end thereof:-

The registrar, in consultation with the board of higher education, shall provide information to applicants who receive a learners’ permit about careers as a truck driver and diesel mechanic.