STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4479--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 12, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, ORTT, JORDAN -- read twice and ordered
printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corpo-
rations, Authorities and Commissions -- recommitted to the Committee
on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions in accordance with Senate
Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in
relation to the creation of the strategic investment in workforce
development program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting
2 the New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by
3 adding a new section 54 to read as follows:
4 § 54. Strategic investment in workforce development. 1. Pursuant to
5 this section there is hereby established within the corporation, the
6 strategic investment in workforce development program to identify and
7 address workforce needs throughout the state. The corporation shall
8 collaborate with the department of labor, the department of economic
9 development, the state university of New York, the city university of
10 New York, and the state education department to provide support to
11 eligible applicants within amounts available for the strategic invest-
12 ments in workforce development program and shall identify the training
13 needs of employers, employees and prospective employees; identify areas
14 of the state or specific industries where a shortage of a skilled work-
15 force is impacting the ability of those areas of the state or industries
16 to remain competitive and innovative; identify methods and models to
17 train and employ youth workers; and identify ways to serve prospective
18 employees that are currently unemployed or underemployed. The strategic
19 investment in workforce development program shall utilize the informa-
20 tion gathered to target workforce training activities, employment
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04870-02-0
S. 4479--A 2
1 credentials or certificate opportunities, and skill development programs
2 to meet the identified needs and to provide necessary training and skill
3 development programs to youth and individuals who are unemployed or
4 underemployed.
5 2. Eligible applicants shall include an employer or consortium of
6 employers in conjunction with a labor organization, a not-for-profit, an
7 educational entity or a program or network that provides training and
8 skill development for youth or individuals who are unemployed or under-
9 employed. An entity that works directly with employers to provide
10 training or retraining, particularly in high-skill occupations or indus-
11 tries, or an entity that seeks to promote and foster economic develop-
12 ment and job growth shall also be considered an eligible applicant.
13 Eligible applicants shall demonstrate a relationship with educational
14 programs and entities that address the needs of employers, employees or
15 prospective employees, particularly youth, unskilled workers, unemployed
16 individuals or underemployed workers.
17 3. (a) Assistance provided by the corporation to eligible applicants,
18 may be used for the costs associated with strategic workforce develop-
19 ment training and skills development. Such costs may include, but is not
20 limited to, classroom training, on the job training, curriculum develop-
21 ment, and training materials associated with on the job training, skills
22 upgrading, skills retraining, and basic skills training that leads to
23 obtaining appropriate certifications or degrees from accredited insti-
24 tutions; and
25 (b) The corporation shall ensure that not less than twenty percent of
26 the program funds are used in support of projects that assist small
27 businesses as defined in section one hundred thirty-one of the economic
28 development law and minority- and women-owned business enterprises.
29 4. (a) The corporation shall report to the legislature by June thirti-
30 eth, two thousand twenty-two and annually thereafter, identifying the
31 entities receiving assistance, the type of assistance provided, the
32 number of individuals trained and newly hired including those who were
33 previously unemployed, underemployed or economically disadvantaged, and
34 the number of certifications or degrees conferred from accredited insti-
35 tutions.
36 (b) The corporation shall also provide for an independent evaluation
37 of the program on or before June thirtieth, two thousand twenty-three,
38 and every three years thereafter.
39 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
40 have been in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2022.
