§ 18 — Workforce Investment Trust Fund

Section 18. (a) There is hereby established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Workforce Investment Trust Fund. There shall be credited to the fund any sports wagering revenue transferred from the Sports Wagering Fund pursuant to section 16. Monies transferred to the fund shall be continuously expended, without regard for fiscal year, exclusively for carrying out the purposes of this section. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund. Expenditures from the fund shall not be subject to appropriation.[ Subsections (b) and (c) effective until November 20, 2024. For text effective November 20, 2024, see below.](b) The fund shall be administered by the secretary of economic development. Money in the fund shall be competitively granted to develop and strengthen workforce opportunities for low-income communities and vulnerable youth and young adults in the commonwealth, including providing opportunities and strategies to promote stable employment and wage growth.(c) Eligible grant recipients shall provide opportunities which: (i) target at risk youth, including resources to empower youth to succeed in the workforce; (ii) provide job skills trainings, including programs offering trainings in multiple languages and areas for development, including education and hands on skills; (iii) promote adult literacy, including strategies to master reading and writing and providing digital formats to increase accessibility; and (iv) provide English language learning programs to promote access to the workforce. The secretary of economic development shall establish criteria to evaluate applications for the grant program; provided, that the criteria shall include, but shall not be limited to, at risk populations; provided further, that preference shall be given to eligible grant recipients providing opportunities for individuals who meet at least 2 of the following: (i) is under 30 years of age; (ii) is a victim of violence; (iii) is over 18 years of age and does not have a high school diploma; (iv) has been convicted of a felony; (v) has been unemployed or has had a family income below 250 per cent of the federal poverty level for not less than 6 months; (vi) lives in a census tract where over 20 per cent of the populations fall below the federal poverty line; or (vii) is an immigrant, refugee or person of color.[ Subsections (b) and (c) as amended by 2024, 238, Sec. 100 effective November 20, 2024. For text effective until November 20, 2024, see above.](b) The fund shall be administered by the secretary of economic development. Money in the fund shall be competitively granted pursuant to existing workforce development programs that develop and strengthen workforce opportunities for low-income communities or vulnerable youth and young adults in the commonwealth, including providing opportunities and strategies to promote stable employment and wage growth, or competitively granted to eligible recipients described in subsection (c).(c) Eligible grant recipients shall provide opportunities that: (i) target at risk youth, including resources to empower youth to succeed in the workforce; (ii) provide job skills trainings, including programs offering trainings in multiple languages and areas for development, including education and hands on skills; (iii) promote adult literacy, including strategies to master reading and writing and providing digital formats to increase accessibility; and (iv) provide English language learning programs to promote access to the workforce; provided, however, that as an alternative, eligible grant recipients may provide opportunities that: (A) provide job skills trainings, including education and hands-on skills for individuals with intellectual, developmental or physical disabilities; or (B) facilitate work permits, professional credentialing or other workforce opportunities for non-citizens permanently residing under color of law or otherwise lawfully present in the commonwealth. The secretary of economic development shall establish criteria to evaluate applications for the grant program; provided, that the criteria shall include, but shall not be limited to, at risk populations; provided further, that preference shall be given to eligible grant recipients providing opportunities for individuals who meet at least 2 of the following: (i) is under 30 years of age; (ii) is a victim of violence; (iii) is over 18 years of age and does not have a high school diploma; (iv) has been convicted of a felony; (v) has been unemployed or has had a family income below 250 per cent of the federal poverty level for not less than 6 months; (vi) lives in a census tract where over 20 per cent of the populations fall below the federal poverty line; (vii) is an immigrant, refugee or person of color; or (viii) is an individual with an intellectual, developmental or physical disability.(d) Annually, not later than October 1, the secretary of economic development shall provide a report of the grants given and a breakdown of expenditures made by the fund. The report shall be posted on the website of the executive office of housing and economic development.