HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1417        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 685

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jeffrey N. Roy

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to a green energy track in vocational schools.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1417        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 685

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to a green energy track in vocational schools.

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

Chapter 74 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:

SECTION 58. Subject to appropriation, the board of education shall establish and maintain a program to support training and education programs that prepare vocational school students for employment in high-demand occupations as part of a robust and diverse clean energy workforce with the goal of providing existing students enhanced career guidance, professional and job readiness training, and matchmaking with employers  to help meet the workforce and talent pipeline needs of employers in the clean energy and climatetech economy. In establishing and maintaining said program, the board of higher education shall solicit input from local public and vocational school authorities, postsecondary technical schools and the board of trustees of community colleges. 

There shall be, subject to appropriation, a grant program 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 regional economic development officials;

(ii) prepare vocational school students for employment in high-demand occupations as part of a robust and diverse clean energy and climatetech workforce

(iii) improve and increase employment opportunities in the clean energy and climatetech industry for low-income individuals, women and minorities, and environmental justice populations;

(iv) provide training and educational or career ladder services for employed or unemployed clean energy and climatetech workers who are seeking new positions or responsibilities within the clean energy and climatetech industry;

(v) increase support for internship and apprentice training;

(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) private for-profit and nonprofit organizations without an established education and workforce training program, provided they partner with vocational education institutions(vii) 1-stop career centers; (viii) local workforce development entities; and (ix) 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 clean energy and climatetech workforce training and educational improvements;

  (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 in the targeted industries.

The board of  education shall, in consultation with the executive office of economic development, executive office of education, executive office of labor and workforce development, the department of education, the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, 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, the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities, and energy, 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.