In this section, “ACTION Program” means the Apprenticeship Career Training in Our Neighborhoods Program established under this section. There is an Apprenticeship Career Training in Our Neighborhoods Program in the Department. The purposes of the ACTION Program are: to develop a well–trained, productive construction workforce which meets the needs of the State’s economy; to encourage employers to hire apprentices in the construction industry; and to help employers offset additional costs, if any, associated with hiring apprentices. The Department shall administer the ACTION Program in partnership with local workforce development boards. Local workforce development boards shall provide grants to employers that meet the requirements under paragraph (2) of this subsection. An employer is eligible to receive a grant if the employer employs one or more apprentices who: have been employed by the employer for at least 7 months; are engaged in a building or construction trade; are enrolled in the first year of an apprenticeship program registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council under § 11–405(b) of this title; and live in a zip code in which the percentage of poverty is at least 20% as established by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, in the most recently released data. As provided in the State budget, the ACTION Program shall award grants to eligible employers. It is the intent of the General Assembly that, for fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, the State budget include an appropriation of at least $100,000 for the ACTION Program to: provide grants to eligible employers; and cover administrative costs. The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out this section, including regulations to: develop requirements for grant applications; develop a process for reviewing grant applications and awarding grants to eligible employers; and determine a cap for the maximum amount of a grant that an eligible employer may receive each year. The amount of a grant awarded by the ACTION Program under subsection (e) of this section shall be based on the number of apprentices that an eligible employer employs who satisfy the criteria in subsection (d)(2) of this section. A grant shall consist of a maximum of $1,000 for each apprentice that an eligible employer employs who satisfies the criteria in subsection (d)(2) of this section.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Local area” means the local workforce development areas established in this State under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. “Low income” means not more than 150% of the federal poverty level. “Program” means the Maryland Summer Youth Connection Program. “Summer” means the period beginning June 1 of each year and ending September 30 of each year. There is a Maryland Summer Youth Connection Program in the Division. The purpose of the Program is to provide summer jobs for youth who are not less than 14 years of age and not more than 21 years of age. The Program priorities are to provide jobs for youth who: are 14 years old and 15 years old; are from low-income families; have a disability; have a special need; or otherwise encounter barriers in the labor market. The Director shall: make grants in furtherance of the Program objectives to fiscal agents for local areas in accordance with the allocation formulas established under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; adopt regulations to carry out the Program; and evaluate the performances of the local areas in carrying out the purposes of the Program. Under the Program, the local areas shall: develop meaningful and well supervised work experiences in: public and private nonprofit, community-based sites; and private for-profit sites, if the experiences developed in the private for-profit sites: serve not more than 20% of the participants in the Program; and expose Program participants to occupations for which there is high demand in the labor market; provide activities to enhance job skills, including basic skills, computer skills, occupational skills, and basic employability skills; provide career-exposure activities, including field trips, guest speakers, job shadowing, aptitude and interest assessment, and college fairs; provide sufficient oversight and monitoring of work sites to ensure a quality experience for each participant; submit a plan to the Director detailing the local area’s plan for summer activities; and submit an end-of-summer report. A local area’s allowable Program costs may include: wages paid to participants in the Program; the costs of supervision; the costs of materials and supplies related to the work provided; reasonable transportation costs to, from, and around the work site; related training costs; and reasonable administrative support costs, not exceeding 10% of the funding granted the local area. A participating youth shall be paid not less than the federal minimum wage for each hour worked.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Law enforcement agency” means the police department of a county, municipal corporation, university in the State, or State agency. “Program” means the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program. “Public safety agency” includes: a correctional unit, as defined in § 2–401 of the Correctional Services Article; a law enforcement agency; and a public safety agency, as defined in § 1–301 of the Public Safety Article. There is a Public Safety Apprenticeship Program in the Department. The purposes of the Program are to: provide young individuals opportunities to begin a career with a public safety agency; foster positive relationships between the public, particularly young individuals, and public safety agencies; develop a cohort of individuals qualified to join a public safety agency; encourage public safety agencies to hire apprentices; and help public safety agencies offset additional costs, if any, associated with hiring apprentices. The Program shall consist of start–up grants and stabilization grants. A public safety agency or a group of public safety agencies participating in the Program shall: develop a registered apprenticeship program; and establish a registered apprenticeship program that develops a career path that enables an individual to work in a public safety agency. The Department shall: administer the Program; and award start–up and stabilization grants under the Program on a competitive basis to a public safety agency or a group of public safety agencies that meet the requirements of this section. Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Department may award: a start–up grant not exceeding $200,000 to a public safety agency or a group of public safety agencies for development and launch of a public safety agency’s registered apprenticeship program under this section; and a stabilization grant not exceeding $5,000 to a public safety agency or a group of public safety agencies on the initial enrollment of each apprentice in the public safety agency’s registered apprenticeship program. The Department may not award a start–up or stabilization grant under this section to a public safety agency or a group of public safety agencies that fail to bargain with the appropriate exclusive representative regarding any adjustments to wages, hours, or other terms and conditions of employment that are required for individuals to participate in the public safety agency’s registered apprenticeship program. For fiscal years 2021 through 2025, the Governor shall include in the State budget an appropriation of at least $750,000 for the Program to: provide grants to eligible public safety agencies; and cover the administrative costs of operating the Program. For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the State budget an appropriation of at least $390,000 for the Program to: provide grants to eligible public safety agencies; and cover the administrative costs of operating the Program. The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out this section, including regulations to: develop requirements for grant applications; develop a process for reviewing grant applications and awarding grants to eligible public safety agencies; and determine the maximum amount that an eligible public safety agency or a group of public safety agencies may be awarded under the Program each fiscal year.

In this section, “Program” means the Apprenticeship Career Training Pilot Program for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals. There is an Apprenticeship Career Training Pilot Program for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals in the Department. The purposes of the Program are: to develop a well–trained, productive construction workforce which meets the needs of the State’s economy; to encourage employers to hire formerly incarcerated individuals in the construction industry; and to help employers offset additional costs, if any, associated with hiring apprentices. The Department shall administer the Program and provide grants on a competitive basis to employers that meet the requirements under paragraph (2) of this subsection. An employer is eligible to receive a grant if the employer employs one or more formerly incarcerated apprentices who: have been employed by the employer for at least 7 months; are engaged in a building or construction trade; are enrolled in the first year of an apprenticeship program registered with the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning under § 11–405(b) of this title; and live in Baltimore City or Dorchester County. As provided in the State budget, the Program shall award grants to eligible employers. For fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023, the Governor shall include in the annual State budget an appropriation of at least $100,000 for the Program to: provide grants to eligible employers; and cover administrative costs. The amount of a grant awarded by the Program under subsection (e) of this section shall be based on the number of apprentices that an eligible employer employs who meet the description in subsection (d)(2) of this section. A grant shall consist of a maximum of $1,000 for each apprentice that an eligible employer employs who meets the description in subsection (d)(2) of this section. The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out this section, including regulations to: develop requirements for grant applications; develop a process for reviewing grant applications and awarding grants to eligible employers; and determine a cap for the maximum amount of a grant that an eligible employer may receive each year. On or before September 30 each year, the Department shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the following information for the immediately preceding calendar year: the number and types of employers that received grants under the Program; the grant amount received by each employer; the total number of apprentices and number of apprentices by employer that participated in the Program; and the progress in achieving the purposes of the Program specified under subsection (c) of this section.

The Department shall develop a list of any federal or State incentive programs available to an employer who hires and trains formerly incarcerated individuals. The Department shall make the list accessible on the main page of the Department’s website.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Covered individual” means an individual who: has been convicted of a criminal offense; has completed a term of imprisonment in federal prison or a State or local correctional facility; or is approved for release by a correctional facility for the purpose of participating in a training program; and meets the offense eligibility requirements set forth in any applicable policy notice or other guidance issued by the Small Business Administration for the federal microloan program established under 15 U.S.C. § 636(m). “Program” means the Maryland New Start Grant Program. There is a Maryland New Start Grant Program in the Department. The Department shall administer the Program. The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to organizations to create or support existing entrepreneurship development programs to provide assistance to covered individuals. As provided in the budget, the Department shall make grants in accordance with this subsection to at least five eligible organizations. An organization may apply for a grant under the Program. An organization may partner with another organization for purposes of applying for a grant under the Program and conducting entrepreneurial development programming. An application for a grant under the Program shall: demonstrate strong community ties, including those with the covered individual community and local businesses; demonstrate an ability to provide a full range of entrepreneurial development programming on an ongoing basis; include a plan for reaching covered individuals, including by identifying particular target populations within the community; clearly define entrepreneurial development capabilities, including coordination with existing local resource partners of the Department for additional training as necessary; present an entrepreneurship development curriculum, which may be a nationally recognized model or based on a nationally recognized model; include a list of each partner organization; and include a comprehensive plan for the use of grant funds, including estimates for administrative and outreach costs of running and evaluating the entrepreneurship development program. The Department may provide specific additional eligibility and application requirements for a grant under the Program. An entrepreneurship development program for covered individuals implemented under the Program shall include: a business plan competition for imprisoned individuals; reentry services, including a work–readiness program; executive mentoring with local business owners; entrepreneurial training; and in accordance with Title 5, Subtitle 19 of the Economic Development Article, access to financing. In determining whether to award a grant under the Program, the Department may give priority to an application submitted in accordance with subsection (c) of this section based on: whether the application includes a commitment from an existing or new non–State funding source to meet the matching requirement under subsection (e) of this section; whether the application takes into account local economies and markets as a part of the educational component of the entrepreneurship development program; and the ability or plan of the applicant to provide entrepreneurial development services concurrent with employment or job training services. As a condition of a grant provided under the Program, the Department shall require the recipient of the grant to contribute an amount equal to 25% of the amount of the grant, obtained solely from existing or new non–State sources. In addition to cash or other direct funding, the contribution required under paragraph (1) of this subsection may include indirect costs or in–kind contributions paid for under non–State programs. In fiscal year 2024, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of at least $200,000 for the Program. In fiscal years 2025 through 2028, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of at least $50,000 for the Program. The Department may not utilize more than 10% of the money appropriated for the Program for administrative costs. Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an organization awarded a grant by the Department under the Program shall submit an annual report to the Department on the use of grant funds received under the Program. The report required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall contain, with respect to the entrepreneurship development program created or supported by the organization under the Program: a list of other organizations, if any, with which the person has partnered to conduct an entrepreneurial development program; the characteristics of covered individuals assisted under the entrepreneurship development program, including the race and ethnicity, gender, age, marital status, parental status, employment status, income, banking and credit history, and prior business experience of the individuals; the participation and attendance rates for all components of the entrepreneurship development program; the program retention rate; the percentage of participants who have not been charged with a new criminal violation or a violation of a condition of parole or probation during the calendar year of the program; the level of the covered individuals’ understanding of business concepts and principles; the level of the covered individuals’ greater confidence in leadership strengths, including the results of an industry–recognized behavioral assessment; the progress made by covered individuals toward establishing a business; the experiences and perceptions of the covered individuals; the number and dollar amount of loans made to qualified covered individuals; and any additional information that the Department may require. On or before January 1, 2029, the Department shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on: the funds included in the State budget and appropriated for the Program for each fiscal year during the life of the Program; the services that grant recipients provided to covered individuals assisted under entrepreneurship development programs; oversight of the Program by the Department, including policies and procedures for monitoring the compliance by grant recipients with Program requirements and an assessment of the effectiveness of the Program; and the overall performance of the Program and the impacts of the Program on grant recipients. The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out this section.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Employer” means an individual or organization located or operating in the State that employs a registered apprentice. “Fund” means the Maryland Pay Per Apprentice Program Fund. “Program” means the Maryland Pay Per Apprentice Program. “Registered apprentice” means an employee who participates in a registered apprenticeship program. “Registered apprenticeship” means an apprenticeship program that is registered with, and approved by, the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. “Sponsor” means an individual, association, committee, organization, intermediary, or employer in whose name or title the registered apprenticeship program is or is to be registered. There is a Maryland Pay Per Apprentice Program in the Department. The purposes of the Program are to: develop a well–trained, productive workforce that meets the needs of the State’s economy; and help employers and sponsors offset costs, including recruitment, education, training, and accommodations for disabilities or materials, associated with hiring newly registered apprentices. The Department shall administer the Program and establish: requirements for incentive applications; a process for reviewing incentive applications and awarding incentives to eligible employers or sponsors; the maximum award eligibility per newly registered apprentice subject to fund availability; the maximum amount of incentives that an eligible employer or sponsor may receive each year; and a process for monitoring and evaluating outcomes, assessing compliance, and taking corrective action, including requiring reimbursement of incentives, should an employer or sponsor fail to meet the requirements of the Program. There is a Maryland Pay Per Apprentice Program Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to provide incentives under the Program. The Secretary shall administer the Fund. The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund. The Fund consists of: money appropriated to the Fund under paragraph (9) of this subsection; money collected due to noncompliance with Program requirements; interest earnings of the Fund; and any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund. The Fund may be used only for providing incentives under the Program and administrative expenses related to the Program. The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested. Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget. For each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030, the Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation for the Fund. Subject to this subsection, an employer or a sponsor may apply for and be awarded an incentive under the Program. An employer or a sponsor may apply for only one grant for a newly registered apprentice who: has been employed for at least 7 months; and is within the initial year of employment with the applicant. An employer or a sponsor may be awarded only one grant per each newly registered apprentice per year. An employer or sponsor awarded a grant under the Program shall attest to its intent to retain an apprentice through the duration of the full apprenticeship and after completion of the apprenticeship, unless an apprentice leaves on the apprentice’s own accord or has been dismissed for cause. If an incentive is awarded to an employer or a sponsor on behalf of a newly registered apprentice, another employer or sponsor may not apply for an incentive under the Program for the same newly registered apprentice. The Department may adopt regulations to carry out this section.