I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6274 

To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a 

State innovation demonstration authority. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 7, 2023 

Mr. OWENS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

to establish a State innovation demonstration authority. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘One Door to Work 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. STATE INNOVATION DEMONSTRATION AUTHORITY. 

7 Section 190 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor8 tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3250) is amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 190. STATE INNOVATION DEMONSTRATION AUTHOR2 ITY. 

3 ‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to au4 thorize any State to apply under this section on behalf 

5 of the entire State, or a local area or a consortium of local 

6 areas in the State, to receive the allotments or allocations 

7 of the State or the local areas, respectively, for youth 

8 workforce investment activities and adult and dislocated 

9 worker employment and training activities under this Act, 

10 and for activities under the Wagner-Peyser Act, as a con11 solidated grant for 5 years for the purpose of carrying out 

12 a demonstration project to pursue innovative reforms to 

13 achieve better outcomes for jobseekers, employers, and 

14 taxpayers. 

15 ‘‘(b) GENERAL AUTHORITY.— 

16 ‘‘(1) WAIVERS AND DEMONSTRATION GRANT

17 AMOUNTS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 

18 law, during the demonstration period applicable to a 

19 demonstration project approved for a State pursuant 

20 to subsection (d)(3), the Secretary shall comply with 

21 each of the following: 

22 ‘‘(A) WAIVERS.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

23 waive for the State as a whole, or for the local 

24 area or the consortium of local areas in such 

25 State selected by the State to carry out such 

26 demonstration project— 


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1 ‘‘(i) all the statutory and regulatory 

2 requirements of subtitle A, subtitle B, and 

3 this subtitle; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) all the statutory or regulatory re5 quirements of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 

6 U.S.C. 49g et seq.). 

7 ‘‘(B) DEMONSTRATION GRANT

8 AMOUNTS.—For each fiscal year applicable to 

9 such demonstration period: 

10 ‘‘(i) STATE AS A WHOLE.—In a case 

11 of a State approved to carry out a dem12 onstration project under this section on be13 half of the State as a whole, distribute as 

14 a consolidated sum to the State, for pur15 poses of carrying out the project, the 

16 State’s total allotment for such fiscal year 

17 under— 

18 ‘‘(I) subsections (b)(1)(C) and 

19 subsection (c) of section 127; 

20 ‘‘(II) paragraphs (1)(B) and 

21 (2)(B) of section 132(b), and section 

22 132(c); and 

23 ‘‘(III) section 6 of the Wagner24 Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49e). 


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1 ‘‘(ii) LOCAL AREA.—In a case of a 

2 local area selected by a State to carry out 

3 a demonstration project under this section, 

4 require the State to— 

5 ‘‘(I) distribute as a consolidated 

6 sum to the local board for such local 

7 area, for purposes of carrying out the 

8 project— 

9 ‘‘(aa) the local area’s alloca10 tion for such fiscal year under— 

11 ‘‘(AA) subsections (b) 

12 and (c) of section 128; and 

13 ‘‘(BB) subsections (b) 

14 and (c) of section 133; and 

15 ‘‘(bb) any funds under sec16 tion 6 of the Wagner-Peyser Act 

17 (29 U.S.C. 49e) that the State 

18 would otherwise allocate for such 

19 fiscal year to the one-stop deliv20 ery system in the local area; or 

21 ‘‘(II) if the local board of the 

22 local area enters into a written agree23 ment with the State for the State to 

24 serve as the fiscal agent for the local 

25 board during the demonstration 


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1 project, use the funds described in 

2 items (aa) and (bb) of subclause (I) 

3 for purposes of carrying out the 

4 project on behalf of the local board. 

5 ‘‘(iii) CONSORTIUM OF LOCAL

6 AREAS.—In a case of a consortium of local 

7 areas selected by a State to carry out a 

8 demonstration project under this section, 

9 require the State to— 

10 ‘‘(I) distribute as a consolidated 

11 sum to the consortium, for purposes 

12 of carrying out the project— 

13 ‘‘(aa) the total amount of 

14 the allocations for the local areas 

15 in such consortium for such fiscal 

16 year under— 

17 ‘‘(AA) subsections (b) 

18 and (c) of section 128; and 

19 ‘‘(BB) subsections (b) 

20 and (c) of section 133; and 

21 ‘‘(bb) any funds under sec22 tion 6 of the Wagner-Peyser Act 

23 (29 U.S.C. 49e) that the State 

24 would otherwise allocate for such 

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1 ery systems in the local areas in 

2 such consortium; or 

3 ‘‘(II) if the consortium enters 

4 into a written agreement with the 

5 State for the State to serve as the fis6 cal agent for the local board during 

7 the demonstration project, use the 

8 funds described in items (aa) and (bb) 

9 of subclause (I) for purposes of car10 rying out the project on behalf of such 

11 consortium. 

12 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—A State, local area, or con13 sortium of local areas carrying out a demonstration 

14 project under this section— 

15 ‘‘(A) shall comply with statutory or regu16 latory requirements of— 

17 ‘‘(i) this Act relating to— 

18 ‘‘(I) wage and labor standards; 

19 ‘‘(II) nondisplacement protec20 tions; 

21 ‘‘(III) participation and protec22 tion of workers and participants; 

23 ‘‘(IV) nondiscrimination; 

24 ‘‘(V) grievance procedures and 

25 judicial review; and 


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1 ‘‘(VI) performance accountability 

2 and reporting, except as otherwise 

3 provided in this section; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) the Wagner-Peyser Act relating 

5 to provision of services to unemployed in6 surance claimants and veterans, and relat7 ing to universal access to basic labor ex8 change services without cost to jobseekers; 

9 and 

10 ‘‘(B) may choose to comply with any other 

11 statutory or regulatory requirement of this Act 

12 or the Wagner-Peyser Act. 

13 ‘‘(c) DEMONSTRATION PERIOD; LIMITATIONS.— 

14 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A demonstration project 

15 approved under this section for a State, local area, 

16 or consortium— 

17 ‘‘(A) shall be carried out for a 5-year dem18 onstration period; and 

19 ‘‘(B) may be renewed for additional 5-year 

20 demonstration periods, if the State, local area, 

21 or consortium meets its expected levels of per22 formance established under subsection (f)(1) for 

23 each of the final 3 years of the preceding 5-year 

24 period. 

25 ‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) DEMONSTRATION PERIOD LIMITA2 TIONS.—For each 5-year demonstration period 

3 (including renewals of such period)— 

4 ‘‘(i) not more than 8 States may carry 

5 out demonstration projects approved for a 

6 State as a whole under this section; and 

7 ‘‘(ii) not more than 8 local areas (or 

8 consortia of local areas) may carry out 

9 demonstration projects approved for a local 

10 area (or a consortium) under this section. 

11 ‘‘(B) STATE LIMITATIONS.—No more than 

12 1 demonstration project may be approved under 

13 this section per State. For purposes of this 

14 paragraph, a demonstration project approved 

15 for a local area or a consortium of local areas 

16 in a State shall be considered a demonstration 

17 project approved under this section for the 

18 State. 

19 ‘‘(d) APPLICATION.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to carry out 

21 a demonstration project under this section, a State 

22 shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 

23 time, and in such manner, as the Secretary may rea24 sonably require, and containing the information de25 scribed in paragraph (2). 


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1 ‘‘(2) CONTENT.—Each application submitted by 

2 a State under this subsection shall include the fol3 lowing: 

4 ‘‘(A) A description of the demonstration 

5 project to be carried out under this section, in6 cluding— 

7 ‘‘(i) whether the project will be car8 ried out— 

9 ‘‘(I) by the State as a whole; 

10 ‘‘(II) by a local area, and if so— 

11 ‘‘(aa) an identification of— 

12 ‘‘(AA) such local area; 

13 and 

14 ‘‘(BB) whether the 

15 local board for such local 

16 area is the fiscal agent for 

17 the project, or whether the 

18 local board has entered into 

19 a written agreement with 

20 the State for the State to 

21 serve as the fiscal agent dur22 ing the project; and 

23 ‘‘(bb) written verification 

24 from the local board for such 


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1 local area that such local board 

2 agrees— 

3 ‘‘(AA) to carry out such 

4 project; and 

5 ‘‘(BB) to the fiscal 

6 agent identified in item 

7 (aa)(BB); and 

8 ‘‘(III) by a consortium of local 

9 areas in the State, and if so— 

10 ‘‘(aa) an identification of— 

11 ‘‘(AA) each local area 

12 that comprises the consor13 tium; and 

14 ‘‘(BB) the local area 

15 that will serve as the fiscal 

16 agent for the consortium 

17 during the project, or wheth18 er the consortium has en19 tered into a written agree20 ment with the State for the 

21 State to serve as the fiscal 

22 agent; and 

23 ‘‘(bb) written verification 

24 from each local board of each 

25 local area identified in item 


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1 (aa)(AA) that such local board 

2 agrees— 

3 ‘‘(AA) to carry out such 

4 project as a consortium; and 

5 ‘‘(BB) to the fiscal 

6 agent for the consortium 

7 identified in item (aa)(BB); 

8 ‘‘(ii) a description of the activities to 

9 be carried out under the project; and 

10 ‘‘(iii) the goals the State, local area, 

11 or consortium intends to achieve through 

12 such activities, which shall be aligned with 

13 purpose described in subsection (a). 

14 ‘‘(B) A description of the performance out15 comes the State, the local area, or consortium 

16 expects to achieve for such activities for each 

17 year of the demonstration period as described 

18 in subsection (f)(1). 

19 ‘‘(C) A description of how the State, local 

20 area, or consortium consulted with employers, 

21 the State board, and the local boards in the 

22 State in determining the activities to carry out 

23 under the demonstration project. 

24 ‘‘(D) A description of how the State will 

25 make such activities available to jobseekers and 


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1 employers in each of the local areas in the State 

2 or, in a case of a project that will be carried out 

3 by a local area or a consortium, a description 

4 of how such services will be made available to 

5 jobseekers and employers in such local area or 

6 each of the local areas in the consortium. 

7 ‘‘(E) A description, if appropriate, of how 

8 the State, local area, or consortium will inte9 grate the funds received, and the activities car10 ried out, under the demonstration project under 

11 this section with State workforce development 

12 programs and other Federal or State workforce, 

13 education, or social service programs (including 

14 the programs and activities listed in section 

15 103(a)(2), the program of adult education and 

16 literacy activities authorized under title II, and 

17 the program authorized under title I of the Re18 habilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et 

19 seq.)). 

20 ‘‘(F) An assurance that the State, local 

21 area, or consortium will meet the requirements 

22 of this section. 

23 ‘‘(3) SECRETARIAL APPROVAL.— 

24 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 

25 days after the date on which a State submits an 


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1 application under this subsection, the Secretary 

2 shall— 

3 ‘‘(i) in a case in which the application 

4 meets the requirements of this section and 

5 is not subject to the limitations described 

6 in subsection (c)(2), approve such applica7 tion and the demonstration project de8 scribed in such application; or 

9 ‘‘(ii) provide to the State a written ex10 planation of initial disapproval that meets 

11 the requirements of subparagraph (C). 

12 ‘‘(B) DEFAULT APPROVAL.—With respect 

13 to an application submitted by a State under 

14 this subsection that is not subject to the limita15 tions described in subsection (c)(2), if the Sec16 retary fails to approve such application or pro17 vide an explanation of initial disapproval for 

18 such application as required under subpara19 graph (A), the application and the demonstra20 tion project described in such application shall 

21 be deemed approved by the Secretary. 

22 ‘‘(C) INITIAL DISAPPROVAL.—An expla23 nation of initial disapproval provided by the 

24 Secretary to a State under subparagraph (A)(ii) 

25 shall provide the State— 


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1 ‘‘(i) detailed reasons for why the ap2 plication does not meet the requirements of 

3 this section; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) if the State is not subject to the 

5 limitations described in subsection (c)(2), 

6 an opportunity to revise and resubmit the 

7 State’s application under this section. 

8 ‘‘(e) STATE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT REQUIRE9 MENTS.—A State, local area, or consortium that has been 

10 approved to carry out a demonstration project under this 

11 section shall meet each of the following requirements: 

12 ‘‘(1) USE OF FUNDS.—Use the funds received 

13 pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(B) solely to carry out 

14 the activities of the demonstration project to achieve 

15 the goals described in subsection (d)(2)(A). 

16 ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS LIMITATION.— 

17 Use not more than 10 percent of the funds received 

18 pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(B) for a fiscal year for 

19 the administrative costs of carrying out the dem20 onstration project. 

21 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY FOR SERVICES.—Give priority 

22 for services under the project to veterans and their 

23 eligible spouses in accordance with the requirements 

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1 cipients of public assistance, low-income individuals, 

2 and individuals who are basic skills deficient. 

3 ‘‘(4) NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS.—Serve a 

4 number of participants under the activities of the 

5 demonstration project for each year of the dem6 onstration period that— 

7 ‘‘(A) is greater than the number of partici8 pants served by such State, local area, or con9 sortium under the programs described in sub10 paragraphs (A) and (C) of section 3(13) for the 

11 most recent program year that ended prior to 

12 the beginning of the first year of the dem13 onstration period; or 

14 ‘‘(B) is not less than the number of par15 ticipants to be served under the activities of the 

16 demonstration project that is agreed upon be17 tween the State, local area, or consortium, and 

18 the Secretary— 

19 ‘‘(i) prior to the Secretary’s approval 

20 of the application submitted under sub21 section (d); 

22 ‘‘(ii) after the Secretary takes into ac23 count— 

24 ‘‘(I) the goals the State, local 

25 area, or consortium intends to achieve 


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1 through the demonstration project; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(II) the participants the State, 

4 local area, or consortium intends to 

5 serve under such project; and 

6 ‘‘(iii) prior to approval of the applica7 tion submitted under subsection (d). 

8 ‘‘(5) REPORTING OUTCOMES.—Submit, on an 

9 annual basis, to the Secretary a report, with respect 

10 to such State, local area, or consortium, on— 

11 ‘‘(A) participant outcomes for each indi12 cator of performance described in subsection 

13 (f)(1)(A) for the activities carried out under the 

14 project; and 

15 ‘‘(B) the applicable requirements of section 

16 116(d)(2), including subparagraphs (B) 

17 through (G) and subparagraph (J), as such 

18 subparagraphs are applicable to activities under 

19 the demonstration project. 

20 ‘‘(6) COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN EXISTING RE21 QUIREMENTS.—Comply with the statutory or regu22 latory requirements listed in subsection (b)(2). 

23 ‘‘(7) EVALUATION.—Prior to the end of the 

24 demonstration period— 


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1 ‘‘(A) conduct a rigorous evaluation of the 

2 employment and earnings outcomes of partici3 pants in activities carried out under the dem4 onstration project, compared to the outcomes of 

5 similarly situated individuals in such State, 

6 local area, or a local area in the consortium 

7 that do not participate in such activities; and 

8 ‘‘(B) submit to Congress and the Secretary 

9 the results of such evaluation. 

10 ‘‘(f) PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY.— 

11 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF EXPECTED PERFORM12 ANCE INDICATORS.— 

13 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each State, local 

14 area, or consortium shall establish in the appli15 cation submitted under subsection (d), for each 

16 year of the demonstration period— 

17 ‘‘(i) with respect to participants who 

18 are at least 25 years old, the expected lev19 els of performance for each of the indica20 tors of performance under section 

21 116(b)(2)(A)(i) for the activities carried 

22 out under the project under this section, 

23 which shall meet the requirements of sub24 paragraph (B); and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) with respect to participants who 

2 are at least 16 years old and no older than 

3 24 years old, the expected levels of per4 formance for each of the indicators of per5 formance under section 116(b)(2)(A)(ii) 

6 for the activities carried out under the 

7 project under this section, which shall meet 

8 the requirements of subparagraph (B). 

9 ‘‘(B) 5TH YEAR.—Each of the expected 

10 levels of performance established for each of the 

11 indicators of performance under clauses (i) and 

12 (ii) of section 116(b)(2)(A) pursuant to sub13 paragraph (A) for the 5th year of the dem14 onstration period shall be higher than— 

15 ‘‘(i) the highest level of performance 

16 for the corresponding indicator of perform17 ance for the programs described in sub18 paragraphs (A) and (C) of section 3(13) 

19 for the most recent program year that 

20 ended prior to the beginning of the first 

21 year of the demonstration period; or 

22 ‘‘(ii) an alternate baseline level of per23 formance that is agreed upon between the 

24 State, local area, or consortium, and the 

25 Secretary— 


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1 ‘‘(I) prior to the Secretary’s ap2 proval of the application submitted 

3 under subsection (d); and 

4 ‘‘(II) after the Secretary takes 

5 into account— 

6 ‘‘(aa) the goals the State, 

7 local area, or consortium intends 

8 to achieve through the dem9 onstration project; and 

10 ‘‘(bb) the participants the 

11 State, local area, or consortium 

12 intends to serve under such 

13 project. 

14 ‘‘(2) SANCTIONS.— 

15 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions de16 scribed in section 116(f)(1)(B) shall apply to a 

17 State, local area, or consortium beginning on 

18 the 3rd year of the demonstration period for 

19 such State, local area, or consortium, except 

20 that the levels of performance established under 

21 subsection (f)(1) of this section shall be— 

22 ‘‘(i) deemed to be the State negotiated 

23 levels of performance for purposes of this 

24 paragraph; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) adjusted at the end of each pro2 gram year to reflect the actual characteris3 tics of participants served and the actual 

4 economic conditions experienced using a 

5 statistical adjustment model similar to the 

6 model described in section 

7 116(b)(3)(A)(viii). 

8 ‘‘(B) INELIGIBILITY FOR RENEWAL.—A 

9 State, local area, or consortium that is subject 

10 to such sanctions shall be ineligible to renew its 

11 demonstration period under subsection (c). 

12 ‘‘(3) IMPACT OF LOCAL OR CONSORTIUM DEM13 ONSTRATIONS ON STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY.— 

14 With respect to a State with an approved dem15 onstration project for a local area or consortium of 

16 local areas in the State— 

17 ‘‘(A) the performance of such local area or 

18 consortium for the programs described in sub19 paragraphs (A) and (C) of section 3(13) shall 

20 not be included in the levels of performance for 

21 such State for any of such programs for pur22 poses of section 116 for any program year that 

23 is applicable to any year of the demonstration 

24 period; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) with respect to any local areas of the 

2 State that are not part of the demonstration 

3 project, the State shall reach a new agreement 

4 with the Secretary, for purposes of section 

5 116(b)(3)(A), on levels of performance for such 

6 programs for such program years.’’. 

Æ 


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