Increasing Technology Skills Act of 2014

Increasing Technology Skills Act of 2014 - Establishes in the Department of Labor the Information Technology Certification Fund.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a work opportunity tax credit for any employer who hires a certified information technology certification program graduate.

Directs the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants to states through state boards for the payment of costs of qualified individuals to participate in the program.

Directs the Secretary to create an introductory program for use in one-stop centers to provide background information via the Internet to participants on information technology certification programs.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4932 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4932

 To establish a fund consisting of donations from private industry to 
    provide financial support for unemployed individuals to obtain 
                 information technology certifications.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 20, 2014

  Mr. Payne (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Norton, and Mr. 
  Cardenas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a fund consisting of donations from private industry to 
    provide financial support for unemployed individuals to obtain 
                 information technology certifications.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Increasing Technology Skills Act of 
2014''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of Labor 
a fund to be known as the Information Technology Certification Fund 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Fund'').
    (b) Deposits.--The Fund shall consist of amounts donated by any 
person, partnership, or corporation, including nonprofit organizations 
and foundations that pledges to continue to donate a consistent amount 
for a minimum of three consecutive years.
    (c) Administration and Use of Funds.--The Fund shall be 
administered by the Secretary of Labor and used to carry out the grant 
program established under section 4.

SEC. 3. EMPLOYERS HIRING INDIVIDUALS COMPLETING THE INFORMATION 
              TECHNOLOGY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ELIGIBLE FOR WORK 
              OPPORTUNITY CREDIT.

    (a) In General.--Section 51(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (H), by 
the striking the period at the end of subparagraph (I) and inserting 
``, or'', and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(J) a certified information technology 
                certification program graduate.''.
    (b) Certified Information Technology Certification Program 
Graduate.--Section 51(d) is amended by redesignating paragraphs (11), 
(12), (13), and (14) as paragraphs (12), (13), (14), and (15), 
respectively, and by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new 
paragraph:
            ``(11) Certified information technology certification 
        program graduate.--The term `certified information technology 
        certification program graduate' means any individual who has 
        been awarded a certificate of completion under section 5(f) of 
        the Increasing Technology Skills Act of 2014 for completing the 
        information technology certification program established under 
        such Act during the 1-year period ending on the hiring date.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to individuals who begin work with the employer after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATES.

    (a) In General.--From funds available in the Fund established by 
section 2, the Secretary of Labor shall award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to States through the State boards.
    (b) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, a State 
board shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time and 
containing such information as the Secretary shall determine.
    (c) Use of Funds.--A State board shall use grant funds to provide 
financial support to qualified individuals for participation in an 
information technology certification program, in accordance with 
section 5.

SEC. 5. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CERTIFICATION.

    (a) Identification of Programs and Public Awareness.--Each State 
receiving a grant under section 4 shall--
            (1) identify information technology certification programs 
        within the State and the requirements necessary for a qualified 
        individual to participate in each program;
            (2) disseminate information, through one-stop centers and 
        by other means, regarding such certification programs and the 
        availability of financial support from the grant funds to 
        enable qualified individuals to participate in such programs; 
        and
            (3) assist qualified individuals in determining which 
        information technology certification program such individual is 
        most qualified for and best meets the goals of such individual.
    (b) Application of Qualified Individuals.--A qualified individual 
seeking to participate in an information technology certification 
program and receive financial support shall submit an application to a 
local one-stop center containing such information as the State Board 
shall determine.
    (c) Selection.--Qualified individuals shall be selected by the 
local one-centers, in conjunction with local chambers of commerce where 
appropriate, for participation based on their overall qualification for 
the certification programs taking into consideration their experience, 
skills, and competency, including high school level or better 
competency in typing, math, reading, and writing.
    (d) Eligible Expenses.--Financial support may be provided to pay 
for the costs to the qualified individual of preparatory classes, study 
materials, and examination expenses for the information technology 
certification program.
    (e) One-Time Participation.--Qualified individuals selected to 
receive financial support under this section may only participate once. 
Such participation consists of a single information technology 
certification, regardless of whether the individual obtains the 
certification. Such certification may consist of multiple preparatory 
classes and multiple examinations.
    (f) Certificate.--The State board shall award a certificate of 
completion to each individual who completes the program and obtains a 
certification.

SEC. 6. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GUIDANCE AND FACILITATION.

    (a) Background Information and Selection Guidance.--The Secretary 
of Labor shall create an introductory program for use in one-stop 
centers to provide background information to participants on 
information technology certification programs, to ensure such 
participants meet the necessary requirements, and suggest which 
certification program a participant should pursue according to his or 
her experience, skills and competency.
    (b) Identification of Local Employment Needs.--In consultation with 
local chambers of commerce, the Secretary shall identify the 
certification programs that best meet the employment needs in each 
local area.
    (c) Website.--The Secretary of Labor shall make the information 
required under subsections (a) and (b) available on an Internet 
website. Such website shall also include information on participating 
persons, partnerships, and corporations who donate money to the fund 
established by section 2, unless the person, partnership, or 
corporation requests that this information not be included on the 
website.
    (d) Facilitation of In-Kind Donations.--The Secretary of Labor, in 
coordination with the State boards, local one-stop centers, and local 
chambers of commerce, shall facilitate the placing of in-kind donations 
of textbooks or other study materials by entities described in section 
2(b) with qualified individuals participating in certification 
programs.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``information technology certification 
        program'' means any course of study or training in computer 
        science or information technology that culminates with an 
        individual earning a certification or other industry-recognized 
        credential that attests to the individual's qualification to 
        perform a job or task that entails the application of computers 
        and telecommunications equipment;
            (2) the term ``qualified individual'' means an individual 
        who--
                    (A) at the time he or she submits an application 
                for financial support under section 5, has been 
                unemployed for a period of not less than 6 months; or
                    (B) is a veteran of the Armed Services;
            (3) the term ``one-stop center'' means a one-stop operator 
        as defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 
        1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801); and
            (4) the term ``State board'' means a State workforce 
        investment board established under section 111 of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2811).
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