Section 18: Workforce Investment Trust Fund
[ Text of section added by 2022, 173, Sec. 5. See, also, another Section 18 added by 2022, 173, Sec. 5, below.]
[ Subsection (a) effective until March 29, 2023. For text effective March 29, 2023, see below.]
Section 18. (a) There is hereby established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Workforce Investment Trust Fund. There shall be credited to the fund any sports wagering revenue transferred from the Sports Wagering Fund pursuant to section 16. Monies transferred to the fund shall be continuously expended, without regard for fiscal year, exclusively for carrying out the purposes of this section. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.
[ Subsection (a) as amended by 2023, 2, Sec. 12 effective March 29, 2023. For text effective until March 29, 2023, see above.]
(a) There is hereby established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Workforce Investment Trust Fund. There shall be credited to the fund any sports wagering revenue transferred from the Sports Wagering Fund pursuant to section 16. Monies transferred to the fund shall be continuously expended, without regard for fiscal year, exclusively for carrying out the purposes of this section. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund. Expenditures from the fund shall not be subject to appropriation.
[ Subsection (b) effective until May 30, 2023. For text effective May 30, 2023, see below.]
(b) The fund shall be administered by the secretary of housing and economic development. Money in the fund shall be competitively granted to develop and strengthen workforce opportunities for low-income communities and vulnerable youth and young adults in the commonwealth, including providing opportunities and strategies to promote stable employment and wage growth.
[ Subsection (b) as amended by 2023, 7, Sec. 137 effective May 30, 2023. See 2023, 7, Sec. 298. For text effective until May 30, 2023, see above.]
(b) The fund shall be administered by the secretary of economic development. Money in the fund shall be competitively granted to develop and strengthen workforce opportunities for low-income communities and vulnerable youth and young adults in the commonwealth, including providing opportunities and strategies to promote stable employment and wage growth.
[ Subsection (c) effective until May 30, 2023. For text effective May 30, 2023, see below.]
(c) Eligible grant recipients shall provide opportunities which: (i) target at risk youth, including resources to empower youth to succeed in the workforce; (ii) provide job skills trainings, including programs offering trainings in multiple languages and areas for development, including education and hands on skills; (iii) promote adult literacy, including strategies to master reading and writing and providing digital formats to increase accessibility; and (iv) provide English language learning programs to promote access to the workforce. The secretary of housing and economic development shall establish criteria to evaluate applications for the grant program; provided, that the criteria shall include, but shall not be limited to, at risk populations; provided further, that preference shall be given to eligible grant recipients providing opportunities for individuals who meet at least 2 of the following: (i) is under 30 years of age; (ii) is a victim of violence; (iii) is over 18 years of age and does not have a high school diploma; (iv) has been convicted of a felony; (v) has been unemployed or has had a family income below 250 per cent of the federal poverty level for not less than 6 months; (vi) lives in a census tract where over 20 per cent of the populations fall below the federal poverty line; or (vii) is an immigrant, refugee or person of color.
[ Subsection (c) as amended by 2023, 7, Sec. 137 effective May 30, 2023. See 2023, 7, Sec. 298. For text effective until May 30, 2023, see above.]
(c) Eligible grant recipients shall provide opportunities which: (i) target at risk youth, including resources to empower youth to succeed in the workforce; (ii) provide job skills trainings, including programs offering trainings in multiple languages and areas for development, including education and hands on skills; (iii) promote adult literacy, including strategies to master reading and writing and providing digital formats to increase accessibility; and (iv) provide English language learning programs to promote access to the workforce. The secretary of economic development shall establish criteria to evaluate applications for the grant program; provided, that the criteria shall include, but shall not be limited to, at risk populations; provided further, that preference shall be given to eligible grant recipients providing opportunities for individuals who meet at least 2 of the following: (i) is under 30 years of age; (ii) is a victim of violence; (iii) is over 18 years of age and does not have a high school diploma; (iv) has been convicted of a felony; (v) has been unemployed or has had a family income below 250 per cent of the federal poverty level for not less than 6 months; (vi) lives in a census tract where over 20 per cent of the populations fall below the federal poverty line; or (vii) is an immigrant, refugee or person of color.
[ Subsection (d) effective until May 30, 2023. For text effective May 30, 2023, see below.]
(d) Annually, not later than October 1, the secretary of housing and economic development shall provide a report of the grants given and a breakdown of expenditures made by the fund. The report shall be posted on the website of the executive office of housing and economic development.
[ Subsection (d) as amended by 2023, 7, Sec. 137 effective May 30, 2023. See 2023, 7, Sec. 298. For text effective until May 30, 2023, see above.]
(d) Annually, not later than October 1, the secretary of economic development shall provide a report of the grants given and a breakdown of expenditures made by the fund. The report shall be posted on the website of the executive office of housing and economic development.
Chapter 23N: Section 18. Youth Development and Achievement Fund
[ Text of section added by 2022, 173, Sec. 5 effective until March 29, 2023. Repealed by 2023, 2, Sec. 13. See also, another Section 18 added by 2022, 173, Sec. 5, above.]
Section 18. There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a fund to be known as the Youth Development and Achievement Fund. The fund shall be credited any monies transferred from the Sports Wagering Fund pursuant to section 16 and all monies credited to or transferred to the fund from any other fund or source. Expenditures from the fund shall be subject to appropriation and shall be expended equally for the following purposes:
(1) For the purposes of providing financial assistance to students from the commonwealth enrolled in and pursuing a program of higher education in any approved public or independent college, university, school of nursing or any other approved institution furnishing a program of higher education;
(2) For the purposes of funding after-school and out-of-school activities, including, but not limited to, youth athletics and other activities that improve student health, literacy programs, English language learning programs, academic tutoring, art, theater and music programs and community service programs; and
(3) For the purposes of providing matching grants to elementary and secondary youth sports, organizations, clubs and other school groups to attend events including, but not limited to, academic events and programs, cultural events and award ceremonies both nationally and internationally.