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2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2437 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3983 |
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4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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7 | 7 | | Kip A. Diggs |
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8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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12 | 12 | | An Act relative to establishing a workforce training trust fund for emerging technologies. |
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13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kip A. Diggs2nd Barnstable1/16/2025 1 of 3 |
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16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2437 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3983 |
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18 | 18 | | By Representative Diggs of Barnstable, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3983) of Kip |
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19 | 19 | | A. Diggs for legislation to establish a workforce training trust fund for emerging technologies. |
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20 | 20 | | Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. |
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21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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26 | 26 | | An Act relative to establishing a workforce training trust fund for emerging technologies. |
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27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after |
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30 | 30 | | 2section 2JJJJJJ, the following section:- |
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31 | 31 | | 3 Section 2KKKKKK. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the |
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32 | 32 | | 4commonwealth a separate fund known as the Emerging Technologies Workforce Training Trust |
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33 | 33 | | 5Fund, hereinafter referred to as the fund. The fund shall be administered by the department of |
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34 | 34 | | 6career services established in section 1 of chapter 23H in collaboration with the Commonwealth |
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35 | 35 | | 7Corporation Foundation. |
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36 | 36 | | 8 (b) The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations or other money |
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37 | 37 | | 9authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) interest |
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38 | 38 | | 10earned on money in the fund; (iii) contributions from private sector entities, including technology |
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39 | 39 | | 11firms, foundations and other organizations; and (iv) federal grants and other gifts, grants and |
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40 | 40 | | 12donations for the establishment and expansion of workforce training programs, including 2 of 3 |
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41 | 41 | | 13programs in blockchain, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and renewable energy technologies. |
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42 | 42 | | 14Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money |
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43 | 43 | | 15remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund. |
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44 | 44 | | 16 (c) The Commonwealth Corporation Foundation, in consultation with the department of |
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45 | 45 | | 17career services, shall make expenditures from the fund for the following purposes: |
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46 | 46 | | 18 (i) providing grants to institutions of higher education, vocational technical schools and |
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47 | 47 | | 19workforce training organizations for the development and implementation of training programs |
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48 | 48 | | 20in blockchain, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and renewable energy technologies; |
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49 | 49 | | 21 (ii) sponsoring scholarships, paid internships and award programs to support individuals |
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50 | 50 | | 22pursuing careers in blockchain, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and renewable energy |
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51 | 51 | | 23technologies with a focus on individuals from underrepresented populations; |
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52 | 52 | | 24 (iii) partnering with private companies to create work-based learning opportunities, |
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53 | 53 | | 25including apprenticeships and on-the-job training; |
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54 | 54 | | 26 (iv) funding public awareness campaigns to promote careers in emerging technologies |
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55 | 55 | | 27and available training opportunities; |
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56 | 56 | | 28 (v) developing regional workforce strategies in collaboration with regional employment |
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57 | 57 | | 29boards to address specific labor market needs; and |
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58 | 58 | | 30 (vi) partnering with technology firms in the commonwealth to reduce state funding |
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59 | 59 | | 31burdens and demonstrate industry buy-in. |
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60 | 60 | | 32 (d) The Commonwealth Corporation Foundation shall prepare an annual report on the |
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61 | 61 | | 33activity of the fund that shall include: (i) the number and type of grants awarded; (ii) the number 3 of 3 |
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62 | 62 | | 34of participants trained and employed as a result of the fund’s programs; (iii) the amount of |
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63 | 63 | | 35private sector contributions leveraged; and (iv) any recommendations for improvements to the |
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64 | 64 | | 36fund’s programs. The annual report shall be submitted, not later than December 31, to the: chairs |
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65 | 65 | | 37 of the joint committee on advanced information technology, the internet and |
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66 | 66 | | 38cybersecurity; chairs of the joint committee on labor and workforce development; house and |
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67 | 67 | | 39senate committees on ways and means; and clerks of the house of representatives and senate |
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68 | 68 | | 40 (e) The annual report shall be published on the Commonwealth Corporation Foundation’s |
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69 | 69 | | 41website and distributed to stakeholders. |
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70 | 70 | | 42 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2026. |
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