HOUSE BILL No. 5264

 

September 25, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Young and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

 

     A bill to create the Michigan job training corps; to encourage

 

employment-related educational opportunities for youth; to provide

 

for participation by certain employers; to prescribe the powers and

 

duties of certain departments; to establish a fund and provide for

 

the administration of that fund; and to make an appropriation.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the

 

"Michigan job training corps act".

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Department" means the department of labor and economic

 

growth.

 

     (b) "Employer" means a person who obtains the services of 1 or

 

more individuals in exchange for consideration and retains control

 

and supervision of those individuals in the performance of those

 

individuals' services.


 

     Sec. 3. Within 90 days after the effective date of this act,

 

the department shall develop and implement a statewide program to

 

encourage employer participation in the employment and training of

 

individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 years. The program shall

 

be known as the "Michigan job training corps".

 

     Sec. 4. An employer may participate in the Michigan job

 

training corps program by applying to the department for

 

designation as a Michigan job training corps employer. The

 

application shall be in writing, identify the employer, and state

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) That the employer contractually agrees to provide part-

 

time or seasonal employment, or a combination of part-time and

 

seasonal employment, to 1 or more individuals between the ages of

 

16 and 18.

 

     (b) That the employment described in subdivision (a) includes

 

or shall include on-the-job training and employment orientation for

 

employees described in subdivision (a) who seek to pursue areas of

 

study related to the particular employment.

 

     (c) That the employer contractually agrees to fund all or a

 

portion of the higher education costs of those individuals

 

described in subdivision (b) who pursue advanced higher education.

 

     Sec. 5. An employer designated by the department as a Michigan

 

job training corps employer who provides funding for all or a

 

portion of the higher education costs of an employee hired or

 

retained under this act is entitled to reimbursement of that

 

funding from the Michigan job training corps fund created in

 

section 6.


 

     Sec. 6. (1) The Michigan job training corps fund is created

 

within the state treasury.

 

     (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from

 

any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall

 

direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit

 

to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

 

     (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall

 

remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

 

     (4) The department of labor and economic growth shall be the

 

administrator of the fund for auditing purposes.

 

     (5) The department of labor and economic growth shall expend

 

money from the fund, upon appropriation, only for the purpose of

 

reimbursing employers for higher education funding provided under

 

section 5.

 

     Sec. 7. The sum of $1,000,000.00 is appropriated from the

 

general fund to the Michigan job training corps fund created in

 

section 6.