SPONSOR: |
Sen. Marshall & Rep. Mulrooney |
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|
DELAWARE STATE SENATE 148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
SENATE BILL NO. 229 |
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO STATE GOVERNMENT AND CREATING A WORK A DAY EARN A PAY PUBLIC WORKS JOBS PROGRAM. |
Amend Title 29 of the Delaware Code, Subchapter I, by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§
5007A. Short Title.
This
Act may be known and cited as the “Work a Day Earn a Pay Public Works Jobs
Program Act.”
§
5007B. Statement of purpose.
On
December 9, 2015, the Work a Day Earn a Pay Task Force issued a report
recommending that the State of Delaware establish a Work a Day Earn a Pay
(WDEP) Public Works Jobs Program in the State of Delaware. The WDEP Public
Works Jobs Program is intended to be a State sponsored program aimed at
unemployed workers and young adults entering the work force within the
State. The goal of the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program is to provide
entry-level positions for inexperienced or unemployed workers for public works
projects. The WDEP Public Works Jobs Program is being created to reduce
current unemployment rates and income disparities, aid economically
disadvantaged populations, and help reduce crime rates in areas and populations
with high rates of unemployment.
§ 5007C.
Work a Day Earn a Pay Public Works Jobs Program.
(a) The General Assembly may
appropriate funding for the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program in an amount not to
exceed $2 million annually from the State Strategic Fund.
(b) The WDEP Public
Works Jobs Program shall, among other things:
(1) Offer
employment to unemployed, at-risk or disadvantaged individuals that may
experience barriers to employment opportunities;
(2) Be open
to Delaware residents ages 17 and older, who are drug and alcohol free;
(3)
Implement the recommendations in the report of the WDEP Task Force;
(4) Provide
temporary employment in areas such as public works projects, litter control, river
and stream cleanup projects, park cleanup projects, and housing renovation and
improvement projects;
(5)
Teach participants tangible job skills;
(6)
Partner with non-profit agencies in each county;
(7)
Partner with government agencies;
(8) Encourage
private sector companies to participate in and be active partners in the WDEP Public
Works Jobs Program;
(9)
Lay the groundwork for a sustainable long-term WDEP Public Works Jobs Program.
(c) The Council on Development Finance shall
provide oversight and direction for the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program. The Council may delegate the administration
of the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program to one or more non-profit agencies. The Council shall accept grant applications
from qualified non-profit organizations beginning on October 1, 2016, and shall
make grant awards on or before March 30, 2017 and each year thereafter,
contingent upon funding.
(d) The Council shall be responsible for
developing measurable goals and objectives for the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program. The Council shall track the measurable
progress of the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program.
Any state agencies involved in the WDEP Public Works Jobs Program shall
fully cooperate with and provide data and information to assist the Council in
carrying out its duties.
(e)
The Council shall prepare an annual report on the WDEP Public Works Jobs
Program to the Governor and members of the General Assembly. This report shall detail progress toward the
goals and objectives and implementation of this Act. All state agencies shall cooperate with the
Council on the creation and dissemination of the report. The report shall also identify barriers to
achieving the goals of the Program along with the effective strategies and
policies that can help overcome the barriers and realize the goals of the
Program.
(f) The Council
shall accept and administer grant monies.
(g) The Council
shall accept and receive, in furtherance of its function, funds, grants and
services from the federal government or its agencies, from departments,
agencies and instrumentalities of state or local government or from private and
civic sources.
SYNOPSIS
This Act is intended to implement the recommendations in the December 9, 2015 Report of the Work A Day Earn A Pay Task Force. The Act will create a Work A Day Earn A Pay Public Works Jobs Program in Delaware. |
Author: Senator Marshall