Amendment #400 to H3900

Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant Program

Ms. Keefe of Worcester moves to amend the bill in section 2 by inserting after item 7002-1502 the following item:

"7002-2021 For a community empowerment and reinvestment grant program to be administered by the executive office of economic development for the purpose of developing, strengthening and investing in communities: (i) that are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system; (ii) where a high percentage of individuals' incomes fall below 250 per cent of the federal poverty level; and (iii) with a large population of socially and economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided, that the board as established in this item in section 2 of chapter 227 of the acts of 2020 shall continue to make recommendations to the executive office on the criteria for making grants available to communities and organizations; and provided further, that eligible uses of grant funding shall include, but not be limited to, for socially and economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups: (a) job training, job creation and job placement for those who face high barriers to employment in said communities; (b) transitional employment programs, social enterprise, pre-apprenticeship or other training programs; (c) school-based or community-based high school dropout prevention and re-engagement programs; (d) cooperative and small business development programs and community-based workforce development programs; and (e) programs focused on housing stabilization services, addiction treatment and trauma-informed mental health care” ..............................................................................$7,500,000

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #400 to H3900

Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant Program