HLS 20RS-537 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 163
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER
EMPLOYMENT: Requires certain employers to designate no less than two percent of the
man-hours in any apprenticeabale occupation to registered apprentices for certain
construction projects
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 23:388.1 and R.S. 51:934, relative to apprenticeship; to provide for
3 apprenticeship agreements for certain economic development participants; to require
4 certain employers that receive economic development incentives for new
5 construction or existing construction projects to employ certain apprentices; to
6 provide for agreements; to provide for waivers; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 23:388.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §388.1. Apprenticeship requirements of economic development programs
10 A. In order to promote employment opportunities for young people and to
11 train a skilled workforce in Louisiana, each employer that participates in an
12 economic development program, as defined in R.S. 51:935.1, and receives fiscal
13 benefits for the construction of a new facility or the expansion of an existing facility
14 shall designate no less than two percent of the man-hours in any apprenticeable
15 occupation to apprentices who are registered pursuant to this Chapter.
16 B. The director of apprenticeship shall approve all apprenticeship
17 agreements that are in furtherance of this Section and that meet the standards
18 established in this Chapter.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-537 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 163
1 C.(1) If the executive director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission
2 determines, in good faith, that an insufficient number of registered apprentices is
3 available for employment with a particular economic development program
4 participant on a particular construction project, the executive director shall certify
5 the number of registered apprentices who are available and shall issue a waiver for
6 the remaining number of jobs which would otherwise be reserved for registered
7 apprentices in order for the employer to meet the two percent man-hour requirement
8 provided for in R.S. 51:934.
9 (2) The executive director shall provide any waiver executed, pursuant to
10 Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, to the secretary of the Department of Economic
11 Development in compliance with R.S. 51:934.
12 Section 2. R.S. 51:934 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 §934. Registered apprenticeship program requirements
14 A. The Department of Economic Development shall require each employer,
15 as defined in R.S. 51:935.1, that participates in any economic development program
16 that receives fiscal benefits for the construction of a new facility or the expansion of
17 an existing facility to meet all of the following requirements:
18 (1) Except as provided for in Subsection B of this Section, the employer
19 shall designate no less than two percent of man-hours in any apprenticeable
20 occupation to be held by registered apprentices.
21 (2) The employer shall cooperate with the director of apprenticeship and
22 meet the standards and requirements of the apprenticeship program as provided for
23 in Chapter 4 of Title 23 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
24 B. If there is an insufficient number of registered apprentices available for
25 employment with a particular construction project, the requirements of Paragraph (1)
26 of this Subsection are to be waived only to the extent that such insufficiency is
27 certified by the executive director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, as
28 provided for in R.S. 23:388.1.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-537 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 163
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 163 Original 2020 Regular Session Carpenter
Abstract: Provides that employers who receive economic development incentives from the
state cannot designate less than two percent of the man-hours in any apprenticeable
occupation to registered apprentices for new construction projects or for the expansion of
existing construction projects.
Present law provides that the La. director of apprenticeship will, in cooperation with the
apprenticeship council, set up conditions and training standards for apprentice agreements,
which will in no case be lower than those prescribed by the Office of Apprenticeship, U.S.
Dept. of Labor, or lower than approved national standards.
Present law requires that the La. Dept. of Economic Development certify state monetary
incentives given to businesses that participate in various economic development programs.
Present law defines "economic development program" as any state program that directly or
indirectly confers fiscal benefits on employers located in the state for the purpose of
retraining and creating jobs and growing the state's economy. Such programs may include
grants, loan guarantees, tax exemptions, exclusions, credits, or rebates.
Proposed law retains present law and further requires any employer who participates in an
economic development program and receives fiscal benefits from the state of La. for the
construction of a new facility or the expansion of an existing facility to designate no less
than 2% of the man-hours in any apprenticeable occupation to registered apprentices.
Present law provides that the director of apprenticeship will approve all apprenticeship
agreements that meet the standards established in present law.
Proposed law retains present law and further requires that the director of apprenticeship also
approve the apprenticeship agreement under proposed law.
Proposed law provides that if the executive director of the La. Workforce Commission
determines, in good faith, that an insufficient number of registered apprentices is available
for a particular construction project, the executive director will certify the number of
registered apprentices who are available and will issue a waiver for the remaining number
of jobs, which would otherwise be reserved for registered apprentices in order for the
employer to meet the 2% man-hour requirement provided for in proposed law.
Proposed law requires the employer to cooperate with the director of apprenticeship and
meet the standards and requirements of the apprenticeship program as provided for in
proposed law.
(Adds R.S. 23:388.1 and R.S. 51:934)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.