HOUSE BILL NO. 1449 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE BOYKIN.
2335H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 173, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to workforce opportunities for certain youth.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 173, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 173.2563, to read as follows: 173.2563. 1. There is hereby established within the department of higher 2 education and workforce development the "Youth Workforce Development Program". 3 Such program shall provide participants opportunities to enter the workforce and other 4 necessary skills to be successful in the workplace. The department shall work in 5 conjunction with the department of social services and the department of elementary 6 and secondary education to develop the program established under this section. 7 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean: 8 (1) "At-risk youth", a youth who experiences social, economic, familial, or 9 behavioral problems that make him or her vulnerable to delinquency or the use of 10 illegal drugs. Risk factors that increase vulnerability include, but are not limited to, 11 having three or more school suspensions within the same school year; having substance- 12 abusing parents or friends; being the victim of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse; 13 dropping out of school; becoming pregnant; being economically disadvantaged; 14 experiencing mental health problems; attempting suicide; or being a runaway or 15 homeless; 16 (2) "Department", the department of higher education and workforce 17 development;
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 1449 2
18 (3) "Program", the youth workforce development program; 19 (4) "Youth", a person who is at least twelve years of age but under twenty-one 20 years of age. 21 3. (1) To be eligible to participate in the program, participants shall be: 22 (a) Youth who are currently involved in the juvenile justice system, youth who 23 were involved in the juvenile justice system, or at-risk youth; 24 (b) Residents of a county with more than one million inhabitants or a city not 25 within a county; and 26 (c) Referred to the program under subdivision (1) of subsection 7 of this section. 27 (2) Participation in the program shall be limited in the first year to five hundred 28 participants. 29 4. The goals of the program shall include, but are not limited to: 30 (1) Providing job training and creating certification programs in high-demand 31 industries for participants. Job training may also include restorative justice practices 32 and conflict resolution workshops for participants who are currently involved in the 33 juvenile justice system or who were involved in the juvenile justice system; 34 (2) Establishing internships and apprenticeships with local businesses for 35 participants; 36 (3) Providing training for life skills and soft skills for participants. Such training 37 shall include programs designed to provide the participant with the ability to 38 communicate effectively, work in a team setting, and make informed decisions 39 regarding money and financial services; 40 (4) Educating youth regarding healthy relationships, marriage, and future 41 family roles; and 42 (5) Fostering supportive family environments and responsible community 43 engagement. 44 5. The department shall provide assistance to each juvenile detention facility 45 located in a county with more than one million inhabitants or a city not within a county 46 for the of creation a center within the facility that would provide the following to a 47 participant being held in the facility: 48 (1) Vocational training; 49 (2) High school diploma or general education development programs; and 50 (3) Resume-building workshops. 51 6. The department shall: 52 (1) Collaborate with high schools to integrate career and technical education 53 programs; 54 (2) Encourage: HB 1449 3
55 (a) Local businesses to partner with community organizations to create 56 workforce opportunities for participants in the program. Such businesses and 57 organizations shall be located in a county with more than one million inhabitants or a 58 city not within a county. The department shall work with such businesses to help the 59 businesses seek potential tax credits if the businesses hire participants from the 60 program; and 61 (b) Agencies and community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based 62 organizations located in a county with more than one million inhabitants or a city not 63 within a county to provide basic needs to participants in the program; and 64 (3) Provide community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based 65 organizations located in a county with more than one million inhabitants or a city not 66 within a county with information regarding neighborhood mentorship grants to help 67 guide participants in the program. 68 7. (1) The following entities may refer a youth to the program: 69 (a) Juvenile courts as part of probation or a diversion program; 70 (b) The department of social services; or 71 (c) A school, if a person within that school identifies a youth as being an at-risk 72 youth who could benefit from the program. 73 (2) The department shall develop a metric to determine criteria for participation 74 in the program. 75 8. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Youth Workforce 76 Development Program Fund", which shall consist of gifts, bequests, grants, transfers, 77 and moneys appropriated by the general assembly. The state treasurer shall be 78 custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer 79 may approve disbursements. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon 80 appropriation, moneys in this fund shall be used solely for the program established 81 under this section and for transportation; child care; mental health services to support 82 program participants; participant participation in general youth engagement activities, 83 sports field trips, and mentorship programs; and stipends for internships or sponsored 84 job opportunities. 85 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys 86 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the 87 general revenue fund. 88 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as 89 other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be 90 credited to the fund. HB 1449 4
91 9. By October 1, 2026, and each October first thereafter, the department, in 92 conjunction with the department of social services and the department of elementary 93 and secondary education, shall create a report and submit the report to the governor, 94 speaker of the house of representatives, and president pro tempore of the senate. The 95 report shall contain the following information: 96 (1) The number of participants in the program; 97 (2) The employment rate of the participants after completion of the program; 98 (3) The recidivism rate of participants in the program; 99 (4) The efficacy of the program with projected growth numbers; and 100 (5) Any recommended changes to the program. 101 10. In determining the efficacy of the program and any recommended changes to 102 the program, the department may consult with third parties including, but not limited 103 to, universities and research organizations. 104 11. Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act: 105 (1) The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall 106 automatically sunset six years after the effective date of this section unless reauthorized 107 by an act of the general assembly; and 108 (2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section 109 shall automatically sunset six years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this 110 section; and 111 (3) This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year 112 immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this 113 section is sunset. 114 12. The department, in conjunction with the department of social services and 115 the department of elementary and secondary education, shall promulgate all necessary 116 rules and regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a 117 rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority 118 delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to 119 all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and 120 chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly 121 pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul 122 a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority 123 and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2025, shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: