| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to workforce development; appropriating money for the Gateways2Growth |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 Initiative to expand training in information technology, transportation, and health |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 care across the state; requiring a report. |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subdivision 1.Appropriation.$2,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,000,000 in fiscal |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8year 2027 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of employment and |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9economic development for a grant to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10Organization (CAIRO) to implement the Gateways2Growth Initiative. |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11 Subd. 2.Gateways2Growth.CAIRO may use grant proceeds for the Gateways2Growth |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12Initiative including: |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (1) IT workforce training, including (i) expanding access to full-stack development, |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14cybersecurity, and business analysis training programs and (ii) partnering with statewide |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15employers to facilitate hiring and paid internships for IT trainees; |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16 (2) commercial driver's license (CDL) training, including (i) expanding training |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17opportunities for new CDL drivers to address Minnesota's critical shortage in transportation |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18and logistics and (ii) partnering with trucking companies to provide job placements and |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19apprenticeship programs; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 (3) health care workforce development, including (i) training certified nursing assistants, |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, and other essential health care professionals to meet |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 25-03898 as introduced02/27/25 REVISOR SS/ES |
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| 24 | 24 | | SENATE |
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| 25 | 25 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 26 | 26 | | S.F. No. 2505NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 27 | 27 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: PUTNAM) |
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| 28 | 28 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 29 | 29 | | Introduction and first reading03/13/2025 |
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| 30 | 30 | | Referred to Jobs and Economic Development 2.1Minnesota's growing demand in long-term care facilities and hospitals and (ii) collaborating |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2.2with statewide health care providers to support job placement, credentialing, and licensure. |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.3 Subd. 3.Allocation.(a) CAIRO shall distribute grant proceeds equally between workforce |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.4programs inside and outside the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.5 (b) Priority must be given to (1) individuals from historically underserved communities, |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.6including immigrants, refugees, and rural populations; (2) workers seeking reskilling or |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.7career transitions due to economic displacement; and (3) underemployed individuals looking |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.8to enter high-demand fields with strong career growth potential. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.9 Subd. 4.Oversight and reporting requirements.(a) At the conclusion of each fiscal |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.10year, CAIRO, in collaboration with the commissioner of employment and economic |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.11development, shall submit a report to the legislature detailing: |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.12 (1) the number of participants enrolled in each of the following training sectors: IT, |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.13CDL, and health care; |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.14 (2) the employment outcomes and wage growth of program graduates; |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.15 (3) the regional distribution of participants, ensuring equitable access inside and outside |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.16the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area; and |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.17 (4) recommendations for program expansion and sustainability. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.18 (b) The commissioner of employment and economic development shall ensure |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.19transparency and accountability in the disbursement of money appropriated under this |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.20section and program execution. |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.21 (c) The report required under paragraph (a) must measure the success of the |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.22Gateways2Growth Initiative by detailing the: |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.23 (1) total number of program graduates placed into full-time employment; |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.24 (2) average wage growth of participants post-training; |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.25 (3) retention rates in IT, CDL, and health care professions; and |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.26 (4) reduction in workforce shortages for targeted industries. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2Section 1. |
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| 57 | 57 | | 25-03898 as introduced02/27/25 REVISOR SS/ES |
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