Senate Bill sb1910c2
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for CS for SB 1910
By the Committees on Transportation and Economic Development
Appropriations; Children and Families; and Senator King
606-2034-05
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to workforce innovation;
3 amending s. 445.048, F.S.; requiring that
4 Workforce Florida, Inc., expand the Passport to
5 Economic Progress demonstration program to a
6 statewide program; authorizing Workforce
7 Florida, Inc., to designate regional workforce
8 boards to participate in the program; deleting
9 the provision relating to the disregarding of
10 income for purposes of determing eligibility
11 for cash assistance; requiring that Workforce
12 Florida, Inc., offer incentive bonuses;
13 providing requirements for the incentive
14 bonuses; providing that the bonuses are not an
15 entitlement; deleting obsolete provisions;
16 requiring Workforce Florida, Inc., to submit
17 evaluations and recommendations for the program
18 as part of its annual report to the
19 Legislature; deleting obsolete provisions;
20 creating the Florida Youth Summer Jobs Pilot
21 Program; providing eligibility requirements for
22 program participants and public employers;
23 requiring the program to be administered by a
24 regional workforce board in consultation with
25 Workforce Florida, Inc.; providing employment
26 and educational requirements; requiring the
27 regional workforce board to make an annual
28 report; providing certain uses for program
29 funds; providing an effective date.
30
31 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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1 Section 1. Section 445.048, Florida Statutes, as
2 amended by section 53 of chapter 2004-269, Laws of Florida, is
3 amended to read:
4 445.048 Passport to Economic Progress demonstration
5 program.--
6 (1) AUTHORIZATION.--Notwithstanding any law to the
7 contrary, Workforce Florida, Inc., in conjunction with the
8 Department of Children and Family Services and the Agency for
9 Workforce Innovation, shall implement a Passport to Economic
10 Progress demonstration program by November 1, 2001, consistent
11 with the provisions of this section in Hillsborough and
12 Manatee counties. Workforce Florida, Inc., may designate
13 regional workforce boards to participate in the program.
14 Expenses for the program may come from appropriated revenues
15 or from funds otherwise available to a regional workforce
16 board which may be legally used for such purposes. Workforce
17 Florida, Inc., must consult with the applicable regional
18 workforce boards and the applicable local offices of the
19 Department of Children and Family Services which serve the
20 program demonstration areas and must encourage community input
21 into the implementation process.
22 (2) WAIVERS.--If Workforce Florida, Inc., in
23 consultation with the Department of Children and Family
24 Services, finds that federal waivers would facilitate
25 implementation of the demonstration program, the department
26 shall immediately request such waivers, and Workforce Florida,
27 Inc., shall report to the Governor, the President of the
28 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives if any
29 refusal of the federal government to grant such waivers
30 prevents the implementation of the demonstration program. If
31 Workforce Florida, Inc., finds that federal waivers to
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1 provisions of the Food Stamp Program would facilitate
2 implementation of the demonstration program, the Department of
3 Children and Family Services shall immediately request such
4 waivers in accordance with s. 414.175.
5 (3) INCOME DISREGARD.--In order to provide an
6 additional incentive for employment, and notwithstanding the
7 amount specified in s. 414.095(12), for individuals residing
8 in the areas designated for this demonstration program, the
9 first $300 plus one-half of the remainder of earned income
10 shall be disregarded in determining eligibility for temporary
11 cash assistance. All other conditions and requirements of s.
12 414.095(12) shall continue to apply to such individuals.
13 (3)(4) TRANSITIONAL BENEFITS AND SERVICES.--In order
14 to assist them in making the transition to economic
15 self-sufficiency, former recipients of temporary cash
16 assistance participating in the passport residing within the
17 areas designated for this demonstration program shall be
18 eligible for the following benefits and services:
19 (a) Notwithstanding the time period specified in s.
20 445.030, transitional education and training support services
21 as specified in s. 445.030 for up to 4 years after the family
22 is no longer receiving temporary cash assistance;
23 (b) Notwithstanding the time period specified in s.
24 445.031, transitional transportation support services as
25 specified in s. 445.031 for up to 4 years after the family is
26 no longer receiving temporary cash assistance; and
27 (c) Notwithstanding the time period specified in s.
28 445.032, transitional child care as specified in s. 445.032
29 for up to 4 years after the family is no longer receiving
30 temporary cash assistance.
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1 All other provisions of ss. 445.030, 445.031, and 445.032
2 shall apply to such individuals, as appropriate. This
3 subsection does not constitute an entitlement to transitional
4 benefits and services. If funds are insufficient to provide
5 benefits and services under this subsection, the board of
6 directors of Workforce Florida, Inc., or its agent, may limit
7 such benefits and services or otherwise establish priorities
8 for the provisions of such benefits and services.
9 (4)(5) INCENTIVES TO ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY WAGE
10 SUPPLEMENTATION.--
11 (a) The Legislature finds that:
12 1. There are former recipients of temporary cash
13 assistance and families who are eligible for temporary
14 assistance for needy families who are working full time but
15 whose incomes are below 200 percent of the federal poverty
16 level.
17 2. Having incomes below 200 percent of the federal
18 poverty level makes such individuals particularly vulnerable
19 to reliance on public assistance despite their best efforts to
20 achieve or maintain economic independence through employment.
21 3. It is necessary to implement a performance-based
22 program that defines economic incentives for achieving
23 specific benchmarks toward self-sufficiency while the
24 individual is working full-time supplement the wages of such
25 individuals for a limited period of time in order to assist
26 them in fulfilling the transition to economic
27 self-sufficiency.
28 (b) Workforce Florida, Inc., in cooperation with the
29 Department of Children and Family Services and the Agency for
30 Workforce Innovation, shall offer performance-based incentive
31 bonuses create a transitional wage supplementation program by
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1 November 1, 2001, as a component of the Passport to Economic
2 Progress demonstration program in the areas designated for the
3 demonstration program. This wage supplementation program does
4 not constitute an entitlement to wage supplementation. The
5 bonuses do not represent a program entitlement and shall be
6 contingent on achieving specific benchmarks prescribed in the
7 self-sufficiency plan. If the funds appropriated for this
8 purpose are insufficient to provide this financial incentive
9 wage supplementation, the board of directors of Workforce
10 Florida, Inc., may reduce or suspend the bonuses in order not
11 to exceed the appropriation or may direct the regional boards
12 to use resources otherwise given to the regional workforce to
13 pay such bonuses if such payments comply with applicable state
14 and federal laws limit wage supplementation or otherwise
15 establish priorities for wage supplementation.
16 (c) To be eligible for an incentive bonus wage
17 supplementation under this subsection, an individual must:
18 1. Be a former recipient of temporary cash assistance
19 who last received such assistance on or after January 1, 2000,
20 or be part of a family that is eligible for temporary
21 assistance for needy families;
22 2. Be employed full time, which for the purposes of
23 this subsection means employment averaging at least 32 hours
24 per week, until the United States Congress enacts legislation
25 reauthorizing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
26 block grant and, after the reauthorization, means employment
27 complying with the employment requirements of the
28 reauthorization; and
29 3. Have an average family income for the 6 months
30 preceding the date of application for an incentive bonus wage
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1 supplementation which is less than 200 100 percent of the
2 federal poverty level.
3 (d) Workforce Florida, Inc., shall determine the
4 schedule for the payment of wage supplementation under this
5 subsection. An individual eligible for wage supplementation
6 under this subsection may receive a payment that equals the
7 amount necessary to bring the individual's total family income
8 for the period covered by the payment to 100 percent of the
9 federal poverty level. An individual may not receive wage
10 supplementation payments for more than a total of 12 months.
11 (e) The wage supplementation program authorized by
12 this subsection shall be administered through the regional
13 workforce boards and the one-stop delivery system, under
14 policy guidelines, criteria, and applications developed by
15 Workforce Florida, Inc., in cooperation with the Department of
16 Children and Family Services and the Agency for Workforce
17 Innovation. To the maximum extent possible, the regional
18 workforce boards shall use electronic debit card technologies
19 to provide wage supplementation payments under this program.
20 (5)(6) EVALUATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.--Workforce
21 Florida, Inc., in conjunction with the Department of Children
22 and Family Services, the Agency for Workforce Innovation, and
23 the regional workforce boards in the areas designated for this
24 demonstration program, shall conduct a comprehensive
25 evaluation of the effectiveness of the demonstration program
26 operated under this section. Evaluations and recommendations
27 for the program shall be submitted by Workforce Florida, Inc.,
28 as part of its annual report to the Legislature. By January 1,
29 2003, Workforce Florida, Inc., shall submit a report on such
30 evaluation to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
31 the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must
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1 include recommendations as to whether the demonstration
2 program should be expanded to other service areas or statewide
3 and whether the program should be revised to enhance its
4 administration or effectiveness.
5 (6)(7) CONFLICTS.--If there is a conflict between the
6 implementation procedures described in this section and
7 federal requirements and regulations, federal requirements and
8 regulations shall control.
9 Section 2. Florida Youth Summer Jobs Pilot Program.--
10 (1) CREATION.--Contingent upon appropriations, there
11 is created the Florida Youth Summer Jobs Pilot Program within
12 workforce development district 22 served by the Broward
13 Workforce Development Board. The board shall, in consultation
14 with Workforce Florida, Inc., provide a program offering
15 at-risk and disadvantaged children summer jobs in partnership
16 with local communities and public employers.
17 (2) ELIGIBILITY.--
18 (a) Children at least 14 but not more than 18 years of
19 age are eligible to participate in the program if they are:
20 1. At risk of welfare dependency, including
21 economically disadvantaged children, children of participants
22 in the welfare transition program, children of migrant
23 farmworkers, and children of teen parents. For purposes of
24 this section, "economically disadvantaged children" are those
25 whose family income is below 150 percent of the federal
26 poverty level;
27 2. Children of working families whose family income
28 does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level;
29 3. Juvenile offenders;
30 4. Children in foster care; or
31 5. Children with disabilities.
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1 (b) Employers are eligible to participate in the
2 program under the following conditions:
3 1. The employer shall meet the program requirements of
4 subsection (3).
5 2. The employer shall pay the state minimum wage to a
6 program participant hired under the program.
7 3. The maximum hours required of a program participant
8 per week shall not exceed 30 hours.
9 4. The employer shall comply with state and federal
10 child labor and antidiscrimination laws.
11 (3) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.--
12 (a) The program shall:
13 1. Provide the program participant a work experience
14 that will teach personal responsibility and reinforce the
15 obligations and rewards of holding a job.
16 2. Allow for an academic enrichment component that
17 will assist the program participant in remaining in or
18 returning to school.
19 3. Provide documented learning experiences relevant to
20 the type of work performed and tailored to the needs of the
21 program participant.
22 4. Allow for the provision of life skills training by
23 the local community or a third-party provider contracted by
24 the local community if such skills training takes up no more
25 than 10 percent of the program participant's work time.
26 (b) The program may begin on the day after the end of
27 the regular school year in the local community and shall end
28 before the first regular day of school in the local community.
29 (4) GOVERNANCE.--
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1 (a) The pilot program shall be administered by the
2 regional workforce board in consultation with Workforce
3 Florida, Inc.
4 (b) The regional workforce board shall report to
5 Workforce Florida, Inc., the number of at-risk and
6 disadvantaged children who enter the program, the types of
7 work activities they participate in, and the number of
8 children who return to school, go on to postsecondary school,
9 or enter the workforce full time at the end of the program.
10 Workforce Florida, Inc., shall report to the Legislature by
11 November 1 of each year on the performance of the program.
12 (5) FUNDING.--
13 (a) The regional workforce board shall, consistent
14 with state and federal laws, use funds appropriated
15 specifically for the pilot program to provide youth wage
16 payments and educational enrichment activities. The regional
17 workforce board and local communities may obtain private or
18 state and federal grants or other sources of funds in addition
19 to any appropriated funds.
20 (b) Program funds shall be used as follows:
21 1. No less than 85 percent of the funds shall be used
22 for youth wage payments or educational enrichment activities.
23 These funds shall be matched on a one-to-one basis by each
24 local community that participates in the program.
25 2. No more than 2 percent of the funds may be used for
26 administrative purposes.
27 3. The remainder of the funds may be used for
28 transportation assistance, childcare assistance, or other
29 assistance to enable a program participant to enter or remain
30 in the program.
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1 (c) The regional workforce board shall pay a
2 participating employer an amount equal to one-half of the
3 wages paid to a youth participating in the program. Payments
4 shall be made monthly for the duration that the youth
5 participant is employed as documented by the employer and
6 confirmed by the regional workforce board.
7 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
8 law.
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1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 CS/SB 1910
3
4 Creates the Florida Youth Summer Jobs Pilot Program in Broward
County to be administered by the district 22 Workforce
5 Development Board, subject to appropriations.
6 The pilot program shall be administered by the regional
workforce board in consultation with Workforce Florida, Inc.,
7 and the regional workforce board shall report certain program
participant information to Workforce Florida, Inc.
8
Children at least 14 but not more than 18 years of age are
9 eligible to participate in the program if they are: at risk of
welfare dependency, including economically disadvantaged
10 children (whose family income is below 150 percent of the
federal poverty level), children of participants in the
11 welfare transition program, children of migrant farmworkers,
or children of teen parents; children of working families
12 whose family income does not exceed 150% of the federal
poverty level; juvenile offenders; children in foster care; or
13 children with disabilities.
14 Employers participating in the program shall pay the state
minimum wage to a program participant, and the maximum hours
15 required of a program participant per week shall not exceed 30
hours. The employer shall comply with state and federal child
16 labor and antidiscrimination laws.
17 The program offered by the employer shall provide a work
experience that will: teach personal responsibility and
18 reinforce the obligations and rewards of holding a job; allow
for an academic enrichment component that will assist the
19 program participant in remaining in or returning to school;
provide documented learning experiences relevant to the type
20 of work performed and tailored to the needs of the program
participant; and allow for the provision of life skills
21 training by the local community or a third-party provider (if
such skills training takes up no more than 10 percent of the
22 program participant's work time).
23 The program may begin on the day after the end of the regular
school year in the local community and shall end before the
24 first regular day of school in the local community.
25 State funding for the program must be appropriated
specifically for the pilot program. The regional workforce
26 board and local communities may obtain private or state and
federal grants or other sources of funds in addition to any
27 appropriated funds. No less than 85 percent of the program
funds shall be used for youth wage payments or educational
28 enrichment activities, and these funds shall be matched on a
one-to-one basis by each local community that participates in
29 the program. No more than 2 percent of the funds may be used
for administrative purposes. The remainder of the funds may
30 be used for transportation assistance, childcare assistance,
or other assistance to enable a program participant to enter
31 or remain in the program. The regional workforce board shall
pay a participating employer an amount equal to one-half of
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1 the wages paid to a youth participating in the program on a
monthly basis.
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