Budget Amendment ID: FY2022-S3-43

GOV 43

Offshore Wind Energy Career Training Trust Fund

Messrs. Keenan and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section ___ the following section:-

SECTION ___. Chapter 23J of the General Laws, as amended by section 14 of chapter 8 of the acts of 2021, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 14. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund known as the Offshore Wind Energy Career Training Trust Fund to be administered by the center. The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) interest earned on such revenues; and (iii) funds from public and private sources, including, but not limited to, economic development initiatives included in proposals for long-term contracts for offshore wind energy generation submitted to and approved by the department of public utilities, and other gifts, grants and donations for the establishment and expansion of workforce training and development initiatives to support the offshore wind energy industry. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the center shall make expenditures from the fund for the following purposes:

(1) To provide grants to public higher education institutions and vocational-technical education institutions for the adoption of basic safety training and basic technical training programs; provided, that the center shall prioritize awards to institutions seeking accreditation in internationally recognized training standards, including, but not limited to, standards developed by the Global Wind Organization;

(2) To provide grants to public higher education institutions and vocational-technical education institutions for the development, expansion and promotion of offshore wind professional certificate programs, and courses tailored to careers in the offshore wind energy industry for students in associate’s and baccalaureate degree programs;

(3) To provide grants to adult and community learning service providers, labor organizations, public higher education institutions and vocational-technical education institutions for the sponsorship of award, scholarship and paid internship programs to support the education and training of individuals seeking careers in the offshore wind energy industry; provided, that the center shall prioritize the promotion of careers in the skilled trades, water transportation, operations and maintenance and other occupations that the center identifies as high priority;

(4) To provide grants to regional employment boards to develop a regional strategy to support the development of the offshore wind energy industry and to publish their findings as an addendum to their workforce development blueprints; and

(5) To leverage funds to secure future federal funding to support the offshore wind energy industry in the commonwealth.

(c) The fund’s activity shall be included in the annual report required by section 5. The center shall also annually file, no later than October 1 and at least 30 days prior to the expenditure of any funds, a plan detailing the planned uses of funds in the upcoming calendar year with the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy and the house and senate committees on ways and means; provided, that in the development of this plan the center shall hold at least 1 public hearing to solicit stakeholder feedback.

(d) For the purposes of this section, “public higher education institutions” shall include Quincy College.