Wyoming internship grant program.

WORKING DRAFT
2005
STATE OF WYOMING
05LSO-0449

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0287

Wyoming internship grant program.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Zwonitzer, Hammons and Warren

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming internship grant program; providing for grants to support internships for workforce development; granting rulemaking authority; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.
W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2901 through 9
‑
2
‑
2905 are created to read:

ARTICLE 29
WYOMING INTERNSHIP GRANT PROGRAM

9
‑
2
‑
2901.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(i)

"Board" means the state workforce development council;

(ii)

"Eligible employer" means a governmental entity as defined in W.S. 1
‑
39
‑
103;

(iii)

"Eligible applicant" means a Wyoming resident at least eighteen (18) years of age;

(iv)

"This act" means W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2901 through 9
‑
2
‑
2905.

9
‑
2
‑
2902.

State workforce council
; duties and responsibilities.

(a)

The state workforce council shall:

(i)

Review grant proposals for eligible participants to work for eligible employers in Wyoming;

(ii)

Consult with the department of workforce services in developing criteria for grant categories and grant applications through rules and regulations promulgated by the department of workforce services to meet the following public purposes:

(A)

To meet the demands of Wyoming's governmental community to hire qualified interns;

(B)

To enhance opportunities for Wyoming residents to remain within the state of Wyoming both before and after graduation;

(C)

To provide opportunities for Wyoming residents to gain work experience in Wyoming; and

(D)

To supplement and enhance existing programs providing opportunities for Wyoming governmental entities to connect with eligible employees in the state.

(iii)

Review and monitor the expenditure of monies awarded under W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2904; and

(iv)

Consider other necessary matters.

(b)

In fulfilling its duties under subsection (a) of this section, the board shall consider and may accept federal grants and other contributions, grants, gifts, bequests and donations from any source.

9
‑
2
‑
2903.

D
epartment of workforce services; duties.

(a)

The department of workforce services shall:

(i)

Maintain, manage and be responsible for the distribution of the funds appropriated for distribution under W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2904;

(ii)

Disburse the funds appropriated in accordance with awards made by the board pursuant to W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2904;

(iii)

Promulgate rules and regulations necessary to administer the Wyoming internship grant program and implement the provisions of W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2901 through 9
‑
2
‑
2905.

9
‑
2
‑
2904.

Disbursement of grants.

(a)

There is created the Wyoming internship grant account.
From the funds available for distribution, the board may award grants to eligible employers throughout the state to support the purposes specified in W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2902. The department of workforce services shall disburse the funds in accordance with awards made by the board under this section.

(b)

Pursuant to W.S. 9
‑
4
‑
207, unobligated or unencumbered funds retained by the department of workforce services under this section shall lapse at the end of March 2007 and shall not remain available for distribution as provided in this section.

(c)

The department of workforce services, in consultation with the state workforce council, shall by rule and regulation establish a formula for distribution of funds available for distribution under this section as follows:

(i)

Each eligible applicant shall apply for a grant and may receive a basic grant reimbursing an eligible employer for salaries paid under an internship to the eligible student of twelve dollars ($12.00) per hour worked by the eligible student, for a maximum of nine hundred sixty (960) hours per year;

(ii)

Grants shall be awarded and approved by the board prior to the beginning of any work under the internship approved;

(iii)

Grant funds will be paid to the eligible employer and passed through to the eligible applicant. Eligible employers shall be responsible for all payroll and other taxes, all benefits, and all costs associated with the internship;

(iv)

Eligible employers shall be required to submit a report describing the work done by the eligible applicant at the end of the internship, along with a detailed description of the hours for which reimbursement is sought under the grant;

(v)

The board shall establish criteria for awarding grants on a competitive basis.

9
‑
2
‑
2905.

R
eport by board.

By January 15, 2007, the board shall report to the department of workforce services, the governor and the minerals, business and economic development committees with respect to the grants awarded, and how those grants have benefited the purposes of this act.

Section 2.

(a)

There is appropriated one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming internship grant account created by this act, effective July 1, 2005.

(b)

No more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) from the Wyoming internship grant account may be used to promote the availability and purposes of the Wyoming internship grant program.

Section 3.
This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

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HB0287