Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats Act or the PATH Act
This bill directs the Department of Labor to provide grants to eligible entities to develop pre-apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low income and rural census tracts.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 580 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 580
To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-
apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that
serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low
income and rural census tracts.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2021
Mr. Norcross (for himself, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Lowenthal, and Mr.
Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-
apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that
serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low
income and rural census tracts.
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 ``Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats
Act'' or the ``PATH Act''.
SEC. 2. SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.
(a) Support.--The Secretary of Labor shall support the development
of pre-apprenticeship programs.
(b) Grants.--
(1) In general.--Using funds available under subsection
(h), the Secretary shall make grants on a competitive basis to
eligible entities to provide the Federal share of the cost of
carrying out projects that support that development.
(2) Period.--The Secretary shall make initial grants under
this Act for periods of not more than 3 years, except that if
an eligible entity demonstrates satisfactory performance under
subsection (f) by the end of that third year, the Secretary may
extend the grant period up to an additional 1 year for that
entity.
(3) Eligible entity.--To be eligible to receive a grant
from the Secretary under this Act, an entity shall be a
nonprofit partnership that--
(A) includes the equal participation of industry,
including public or private employers, and labor
organizations, including joint labor or management
training programs, and may include State and local
workforce development boards, community-based
organizations, educational institutions (such as
postsecondary educational institutions, local
educational agencies, State educational agencies, high
schools, and area career and technical schools), small
businesses, cooperatives, State and local veterans
agencies, and veterans service organizations; and
(B) demonstrates--
(i) experience in implementing and
operating worker skills training and education
programs;
(ii) the ability to identify and involve in
training programs carried out under this grant,
target populations of individuals who would
benefit from training and be actively involved
in activities related to all building and
construction trade crafts; and
(iii) the ability to help individuals
achieve economic self-sufficiency.
(4) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to
eligible entities that leverage additional public and private
resources to fund programs under this Act, including cash or
in-kind matches from participating employers.
(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant from the
Secretary under this Act, an entity shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require, including--
(1) a description of the training and curriculum described
in subsection (g)(7)(C), and how the proposed pre-
apprenticeship program makes individuals who successfully
complete the pre-apprenticeship program qualified to enter into
an established registered apprenticeship program;
(2) evidence that there are or will be sufficient openings
available in the registered apprenticeship program referenced
in paragraph (1) to enable the registered apprenticeship
program sponsor to place into a corresponding registered
apprenticeship those individuals who successfully complete the
pre-apprenticeship program;
(3) information about the entity that demonstrates the
existence of an active, advisory partnership between the
partners described in subsection (b)(3) and the capacity, of a
training and education provider in the entity, to provide the
training and education services necessary for a pre-
apprenticeship program; and
(4) information about the proposed pre-apprenticeship
program that demonstrates--
(A) that the program is in an in-demand industry or
occupation in the region in which the project is
located;
(B) the inclusion of career exploration focused
activities, such as career information activities, and
resume preparation, in the program;
(C) if the entity carrying out the project includes
a high school, that the model to be used for the
program leads to a high school diploma for participants
without such a diploma;
(D) how the pre-apprenticeship program is aligned
with and leverages resources of career and technical
education programs, programs and services authorized
under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), or activities of entities that
provide supportive services for participants in pre-
apprenticeship programs; and
(E) that the project aligns with an established
registered apprenticeship program, including that the
model used for the program leads to the attainment of
skills and competencies necessary for entrance into the
registered apprenticeship program for participants.
(d) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this Act shall use the grant funds to carry out a project
that implements a pre-apprenticeship program.
(2) Required activities.--The eligible entity shall use the
grant funds--
(A) to pay for the cost of training or education
associated with a pre-apprenticeship program for
individuals from an underrepresented population;
(B) for curriculum development that align with the
requirements of the appropriate registered
apprenticeship programs and learning assessments;
(C) to maintain a connection between the pre-
apprenticeship program and registered apprenticeship
program;
(D) for assessments of potential participants for,
and enrollment of the participants in, the pre-
apprenticeship program; and
(E) to conduct evaluations described in subsection
(f)(2).
(3) Allowable activities.--The eligible entity may use the
grant funds for--
(A) stipends for participants during work-based
training in the program;
(B) coordination of activities under this
subsection with activities carried out under the Carl
D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006
(20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) or the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); and
(C) drug testing of potential participants.
(e) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost described in
subsection (b)(1) shall be 75 percent.
(2) Non-federal share.--The eligible entity may contribute
the non-Federal share of the cost in cash or in-kind, fairly
evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services.
(f) Performance.--
(1) Measures.--The Secretary shall identify a set of common
measures that, at a minimum, include measures of entry into a
registered apprenticeship program and that are aligned with
performance accountability measures described in section 116(c)
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3141(c)) for the local workforce development area and with
corresponding measures under the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), as
appropriate.
(2) Evaluations.--Each eligible entity that receives a
grant to carry out a project under this subsection shall
arrange for another qualified entity to conduct an evaluation,
or shall participate in a Department of Labor sponsored
evaluation, of the project using the identified common
measures, and shall, to the extent practicable, cooperate with
the evaluator in any evaluations of activities carried out
under this section.
(3) Extensions.--The Secretary shall use the results of an
evaluation for a project to determine whether to extend the
grant period, or renew a grant, for the project under
subsection (b)(2).
(g) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Area career and technical school.--The term ``area
career and technical school'' has the meaning given the term in
section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(2) High school.--The term ``high school'' means a
nonprofit institutional day or residential school that--
(A) provides secondary education, as determined
under State law;
(B) grants a diploma, as defined by the State; and
(C) includes, at least, grade 12.
(3) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term
``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(4) Local educational agency; state educational agency.--
The terms ``local educational agency'' and ``State educational
agency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(5) Local and state workforce development boards.--The
terms ``local workforce development board'' and ``State
workforce development board'' have the meanings given the terms
``local board'' and ``State board'', respectively, in section 3
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3102).
(6) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term
``postsecondary educational institution'' means an institution
of higher education, as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
(7) Pre-apprenticeship program.--The term ``pre-
apprenticeship program'' means a program or set of strategies
that--
(A) is designed to prepare individuals to enter and
succeed in a registered apprenticeship program in the
building and construction trades;
(B) is carried out by an eligible entity that has a
documented partnership with at least 1 sponsor of a
registered apprenticeship program; and
(C) includes training (including a curriculum for
the training), aligned with industry standards and
reviewed and approved annually by sponsors of the
registered apprenticeships within the documented
partnership, that will prepare individuals by teaching
the skills and competencies needed to enter one or more
registered apprenticeship programs.
(8) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term
``registered apprenticeship program'' means a program
registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as
the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663;
29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(10) Sponsor.--The term ``sponsor'' means an employer,
joint labor-management partnership, trade association,
professional association, labor organization, or other entity
that administers a registered apprenticeship program.
(11) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the
term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(12) Underrepresented population.--The term
``underrepresented population'' means an individual who--
(A) is a member of a racial minority, a woman, a
military veteran, or a person who is long-term
unemployed; or
(B) comes from a geographic area consisting of a
single census tract or a group of census tracts, each
of which meets the criteria for a low-income community,
as defined in section 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2022
and each subsequent fiscal year.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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