The bill, Substitute House Bill No. 6956, amends the allocation methodology for youth employment and training funds distributed by the Connecticut Department of Labor to regional workforce development boards. The current law specifies fixed percentages for each board's funding, which include 32.5% to Capitol Workforce Partners, 22.5% to The Workforce Alliance, 12.5% to The Workplace, Inc., 22.5% to the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, and 10% to the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board. The new bill replaces these fixed allocations with a system that distributes funds based on the percentage of disadvantaged youth in each region, as defined by federal law and determined using census data.

Additionally, the bill includes a provision to protect regional boards from significant funding reductions. If a board's allocation decreases by more than 15% compared to the previous fiscal year, the allocations for other boards will be proportionally reduced to ensure that the affected board's reduction does not exceed 15%. This change aims to create a more equitable distribution of resources based on the needs of disadvantaged youth, while also providing stability for the workforce development boards. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 31-3mm
LAB Joint Favorable: 31-3mm
File No. 193: 31-3mm