Improving Access to Good Jobs for Parents Act

To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide grants for coordination of the TANF program with career pathways. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Access to Good Jobs for Parents Act 2. Improving access to good jobs for parents (a) In general Section 403(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 603(a) (6) Grants for coordination of TANF with career pathways (A) Formula grants (i) Application requirements An eligible applicant desiring to receive a grant under this subparagraph shall submit to the Secretary an application that sets forth a plan for how the grant will be used to— (I) (aa) increase the number of recipients of assistance under a State or tribal program funded under this part with a secondary or recognized postsecondary credential (as defined in section 3(52) of the WIOA); (bb) increase the number of the recipients engaged in training services described in section 134(c)(3)(D) of the WIOA; (cc) increase the ability of the recipients to enter or advance within an in-demand industry sector or occupation (as defined in section 3(23) of the WIOA); (dd) increase the use of career counselors, coordinators, or in-house navigators at providers of career and technical education (as defined in section 3(5) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006), including community colleges, in providing intensive support services for the recipients throughout their participation in education or training provided under the plan; and (ee) increase the ability of the recipients to get a good job with livable wages, access to health care, paid family, medical, and sick leave, predictable schedules, potential for advancement, and other employment benefits that help parents balance child-rearing and working; (II) support the coordination and alignment of the State or tribal program funded under this part with the use of career pathways (as defined in section 3(7) of the WIOA), through a collaboration, in 1 or more geographic areas in the State (or, if the applicant is an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium, in 1 or more geographical area under the jurisdiction of the Indian tribe, tribal organization, or any Indian tribe or tribal organization that is part of the tribal consortium), with a local board (as defined in section 3(33) of the WIOA) or State board (as defined in section 3(57) of the WIOA), and at least 2 other entities, each of which is any of the following: (aa) 1 or more representatives of a business or other employers who may be in an industry or sector partnership (as defined in section 3(26) of the WIOA) that provides employment opportunities that, at a minimum, include high-quality, work-relevant training and development in an in-demand industry sector or occupation (as so defined) in the State (or, if the applicant is an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium, in the geographical area under the jurisdiction of the Indian tribe, tribal organization, or any Indian tribe or tribal organization that is part of the tribal consortium). (bb) A labor organization. (cc) An institution of higher education (as defined in section 3(28) of the WIOA). (dd) A tribal college or university (as defined in section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965). (ee) A vocational rehabilitation program (as defined in section 3(64) of the WIOA). (ff) A program that helps those who are basic skills deficient (as defined in section 3(5) of the WIOA). (gg) A provider of career and technical education (as defined in section 3(5) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006). (hh) A community-based organization (as defined in section 3(10) of the WIOA) or other entity referred to in section 3(26)(B) of the WIOA; and (III) comply with the data reporting requirements prescribed under clause (vii). (ii) Eligible applicants In clause (i), the term eligible applicant (I) (aa) a State agency administering a State program funded under this part; (bb) a local agency administering the program in a sub-State area, if— (AA) such a State program is administered on a county level; and (BB) 30 days has elapsed since the Secretary began accepting applications for a grant under this subparagraph, and the State agency has not submitted an application pursuant to this subparagraph or publicly declared an intention to do so; or (cc) a tribal agency administering a tribal program funded under this part if 30 days has elapsed since the Secretary began accepting applications for a grant under this subparagraph, and the tribal agency has not submitted an application pursuant to this subparagraph or publicly declared an intention to do so; and (II) located in an eligible State with respect to the application. (iii) Eligible State In clause (ii), the term eligible State (I) in the case of a State, the total amount payable to the State under section 418(a)(2)(C) for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which the application is submitted equals the amount allotted to the State under section 418(a)(2)(B) for such preceding fiscal year; and (II) in the case of any applicant, the applicant has in effect policies to prevent the imposition of a sanction under the program of the applicant funded under this part with respect to an individual who has not been offered employment or an opportunity to participate in a training program. (iv) Core services In clause (iii)(I)(bb), the term core services (I) Work-related activities provided under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i)). (II) The provision of basic assistance to needy families under the State program funded under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i)). (III) The provision of child care using funds made available under this part or any other State program funded with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i)), including funds transferred under section 404(d)(1)(B). (v) Approval; disapproval Within 30 days after receiving an application submitted by an eligible applicant pursuant to this subparagraph, the Secretary shall— (I) approve the application if— (aa) the application meets the requirements of clause (i); and (bb) there is sufficient research to support using the plan set forth in the application to achieve the results described in clause (i)(I); or (II) in any other case, disapprove the application, and provide the applicant with— (aa) a written notice of the disapproval and a statement of the reasons for the disapproval; and (bb) an opportunity to submit a revised application pursuant to this subparagraph. (vi) Grant authority The Secretary shall make a grant to each applicant whose application is approved under clause (v), in an amount that gives— (I) two-thirds weight to the percentage of the population of the United States whose income is less than 125 percent of the poverty line (as determined according to data collected by the Census Bureau) and who reside in the geographical area or areas in which the plan set forth in the application is to be implemented; and (II) one-third weight to the number of adults in the geographical area or areas that are recipients of assistance under the State or tribal program funded under this part. (vii) Use of funds (I) In general A grantee under this subparagraph shall use the grant to carry out the plan set forth in the approved application for the grant, subject to subclause (II). (II) Limitation Not more than 10 percent of a grant made under this subparagraph may be used as described in clause (i)(III). (III) Supplement not supplant Funds made available to carry out this paragraph shall be used to supplement the level of Federal, State, and local public funds that, in the absence of the availability, would be expended to provide assistance to needy families, and in no case to supplant the Federal, State, or local public funds. (viii) Data reporting requirements The Secretary shall prescribe data reporting requirements for grantees under this subparagraph that, to the extent practicable, build on the structure of workforce development assessment systems, and measure how effective interventions are on addressing barrier removal, rehabilitation, and job readiness skills needed to enter work or career and technical education programs. (B) Innovation grants (i) Application requirements An eligible applicant desiring to receive a grant under this subparagraph shall submit to the Secretary an application that sets forth a plan that— (I) meets the requirements of subparagraph (A)(i); and (II) provides for the applicant to— (aa) conduct a rigorous evaluation of the implementation of the plan; (bb) submit the results of the evaluation to the Secretary; and (cc) make the results available to the general public. (ii) Eligible applicants In clause (i), the term eligible applicant (I) has not submitted an application pursuant to subparagraph (A); (II) is not participating in a collaboration described in such an application; and (III) is located in an eligible State (as defined in subparagraph (A)(iii)) with respect to the application. (iii) Approval; disapproval Subparagraph (A)(v) shall apply to an application submitted by an eligible applicant pursuant to this subparagraph. (iv) Grant authority The Secretary shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible applicants whose applications are approved under clause (iii). (v) Use of funds Subparagraph (A)(vii) shall apply with respect to a grant made under this subparagraph. (C) Limitation on use of funds Funds made available to carry out this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, the Federal, State, and local, or tribal, funds that, in the absence of such availability, would be expended to provide services to individuals receiving assistance under a State or tribal program funded under this part or in support of workforce development activities (as defined in section 3(65) of the WIOA). (D) Appropriation Out of funds in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to carry out this paragraph $1,000,000,000 for each fiscal year, of which— (i) 90 percent shall be available for grants under subparagraph (A); and (ii) 10 percent shall be available for grants under subparagraph (B). (E) WIOA defined In this paragraph, the term WIOA . (b) Exemption from limitation on payments to territories Section 1108(a)(2) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1308(a)(2) 403(a)(6), 406 (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2018.

Summary: Improving Access to Good Jobs for Parents Act This bill establishes, and provides funds for, grants to support the coordination of specified job-related activities through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.