EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDE D TO EXISTING LAW . [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *hb0011* HOUSE BILL 11 K3 4lr1176 (PRE–FILED) CF SB 91 By: Delegate J. Lewis Requested: October 26, 2023 Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024 Assigned to: Environment and Transportation A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Workforce Development and Adult Learning – Leasing Training Program – 2 Establishment 3 FOR the purpose of establishing the Leasing Training Program in the Maryland 4 Department of Labor to train, prepare, and connect job seekers with careers in the 5 residential rental housing industry; requiring the Division of Workforce 6 Development and Adult Learning to administer the Program and award grants to 7 certain designated partnerships; establishing the Leasing Training Program Fund 8 as a special, nonlapsing fund; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited 9 to the Fund; and generally relating to the Leasing Training Program. 10 BY adding to 11 Article – Labor and Employment 12 Section 11–1601 through 11–1606 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 16. Leasing 13 Training Program” 14 Annotated Code of Maryland 15 (2016 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 16 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 17 Article – State Finance and Procurement 18 Section 6–226(a)(2)(i) 19 Annotated Code of Maryland 20 (2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 21 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 22 Article – State Finance and Procurement 23 Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)189. and 190. 24 Annotated Code of Maryland 25 (2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 26 2 HOUSE BILL 11 BY adding to 1 Article – State Finance and Procurement 2 Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)191. 3 Annotated Code of Maryland 4 (2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 5 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 7 Article – Labor and Employment 8 SUBTITLE 16. LEASING TRAINING PROGRAM. 9 11–1601. 10 (A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 11 INDICATED. 12 (B) “DESIGNATED PARTNERSHI P” MEANS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN 13 ORGANIZATIONS , INCLUDING EMPLOYERS , TRADE ASSOCIATIONS , LOCAL BOARDS , 14 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ONS, AND OTHER REL EVANT ORGANIZATIONS , THAT TRAIN 15 AND CONNECT JOB SEEKERS WITH CAREERS AS LEASING PROFESSIO NALS IN THE 16 RESIDENTIAL RENTAL H OUSING INDUSTRY IN THE STATE. 17 (C) “DIVISION” MEANS THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND 18 ADULT LEARNING. 19 (D) “FUND” MEANS THE LEASING TRAINING PROGRAM FUND. 20 (E) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE LEASING TRAINING PROGRAM. 21 11–1602. 22 (A) THERE IS A LEASING TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 23 (B) THE DIVISION SHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 24 (C) THE DIVISION MAY ADOPT REGULATION S TO CARRY OUT THE 25 PROGRAM. 26 11–1603. 27 HOUSE BILL 11 3 THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO TRAIN , PREPARE, AND CONNECT JOB 1 SEEKERS WITH CAREERS IN THE RESIDENTIAL RENTAL H OUSING INDUSTRY IN THE 2 STATE. 3 11–1604. 4 (A) SUBJECT TO THE LIMITA TIONS OF THE STATE BUDGET , THE DIVISION 5 SHALL AWARD GRANTS ON A COMPETIT IVE BASIS TO ELIGIBLE DESIGNATED 6 PARTNERSHIPS THAT : 7 (1) TRAIN AND CONNECT JOB SEEKERS WITH CAREERS AS LEASING 8 PROFESSIONALS IN THE RESIDENTIAL RENTAL H OUSING INDUSTRY IN THE STATE; 9 AND 10 (2) HAVE EXPERIENCE TRAI NING AND CONNECTING JOB SEEKERS 11 WITH CAREERS AS LEAS ING PROFESSIONALS WITH LANDLORDS THAT : 12 (I) MANAGE MORE THAN 100 RESIDENTIAL RENTAL U NITS IN 13 THE STATE; AND 14 (II) MANAGE RESIDENT IAL RENTAL UNITS IN MULT IPLE 15 COUNTIES. 16 (B) (1) THE DIVISION ANNUALLY SHALL AWARD $250,000 IN GRANTS TO 17 ELIGIBLE DESIGNATED PARTNERSH IPS. 18 (2) THE DIVISION MAY AWARD A GRANT OF UP TO $250,000 EACH 19 YEAR TO A SINGLE ELIGIBLE DESIGNATED PARTNERSH IP. 20 11–1605. 21 (A) THERE IS A LEASING TRAINING PROGRAM FUND. 22 (B) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE FU NDING FOR THE 23 PROGRAM. 24 (C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMI NISTER THE FUND. 25 (D) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 26 SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 27 (2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY, 28 AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACCOUNT FOR TH E FUND. 29 4 HOUSE BILL 11 (E) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 1 (1) MONEY APPROPRIATED I N THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 2 (2) INTEREST EARNINGS ; AND 3 (3) FUNDS FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACCEPTED FOR THE BEN EFIT 4 OF THE FUND. 5 (F) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY TO SUPPORT THE PURPO SES OF THE 6 PROGRAM. 7 (G) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVEST MONEY I N THE FUND IN 8 THE SAME MANNER AS O THER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED. 9 (2) ANY INVESTMENT EARNIN GS OF THE FUND SHALL BE PAID IN TO 10 THE FUND. 11 (H) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 12 WITH THE STATE BUDGET . 13 (I) FOR EACH OF FISCAL YEAR S 2026, 2027, AND 2028, THE GOVERNOR 14 SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION TO T HE FUND OF 15 $250,000 TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. 16 11–1606. 17 ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2026, THE DIVISION 18 SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 19 STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE NUMBER OF JOB 20 SEEKERS THAT : 21 (1) RECEIVED TRAINING UNDER THE PROGRAM; 22 (2) COMPLETED THE TRAINING OFFERED THROUGH THE PROGRAM; 23 AND 24 (3) RECEIVED EMPLOYMENT OFFERS AS A RESULT O F PARTICIPATING 25 IN THE PROGRAM. 26 Article – State Finance and Procurement 27 6–226. 28 HOUSE BILL 11 5 (a) (2) (i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless 1 inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the 2 terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the 3 State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to 4 receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General 5 Fund of the State. 6 (ii) The provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph do not apply 7 to the following funds: 8 189. the Teacher Retention and Development Fund; [and] 9 190. the Protecting Against Hate Crimes Grant Fund; AND 10 191. THE LEASING TRAINING PROGRAM FUND. 11 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12 October 1, 2024. 13