2014 -- H 8266

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LC005723

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HUMAN

RESOURCES INVESTMENT COUNCIL

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, Lima, Messier, Shekarchi, and McNamara

     Date Introduced: May 29, 2014

     Referred To: House Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-102-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-102 entitled "Rhode

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Island Human Resource Investment Council" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-102-11. State Work Immersion Program. -- (a) (1) The council shall develop a state

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work immersion program and a non-trade apprenticeship program. For the purposes of this

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section work immersion shall mean a temporary, paid work experience that provides a

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meaningful learning opportunity and increases the employability of the participant. The programs

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shall be designed in order to provide post-secondary school students, recent college graduates and

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unemployed adults with a meaningful work experience, and to assist businesses by training

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individuals for potential employment.

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      (2) Funding for the work immersion program will be allocated from the job development

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fund account and/or from funds appropriated in the annual appropriations act. Appropriated funds

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will match investments made by businesses employers in providing meaningful work immersion

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positions and non-trade apprenticeships.

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      (b) For each participant in the work immersion program, the program shall reimburse

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eligible businesses employers up to fifty percent (50%) of the cost of not more than two hundred

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(200) hours of work experience and during a period of ten (10) weeks. If an eligible business

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hires a program participant at the completion of such a program, the state may provide

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reimbursement for a total of seventy-five percent (75%) of the cost of the work immersion

 

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position.

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      (c) The council shall create a non-trade apprenticeship program and annually award

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funding on a competitive basis to at least one new initiative proposed and operated by the

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Governor's Workforce Board Industry Partnerships. This program shall meet the standards of

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apprenticeship programs defined pursuant to section 28-45-9 of the general laws. The council

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shall present the program to the State Apprenticeship Council, established pursuant to chapter 28-

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45 of the general laws, for review and consideration.

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      (d) An eligible participant in programs established in subsections (b) and (c) must be at

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least eighteen (18) years of age and must be a Rhode Island resident. Provided, however, any

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non-Rhode Island resident, who is enrolled in a college or university located in Rhode Island, is

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eligible to participate while enrolled at the college or university.

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      (e) In order to fully implement the provisions of this section, the council is authorized to

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promulgate rules and regulations. In developing rules and regulations, the council shall consult

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with the Governor's Workforce Board. The rules and regulations shall define eligible businesses

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employers that can participate in the programs created by this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HUMAN

RESOURCES INVESTMENT COUNCIL

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     This act would make a minor revision to the state work immersion program to include

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recent college graduates.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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