SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Demonstrating that 
Empowerment Makes Opportunities Act’’ or the ‘‘DEMO 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS TO PRO-
VIDE CAREER PATHWAYS IN THE HEALTH 
PROFESSIONS FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS 
WITH AN ARREST OF CONVICTION RECORD. 
Section 2008 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1397g) is amended by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e) and inserting after subsection (c) the following: 
‘‘(d) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS TO PROVIDE CA-
REER PATHWAYS IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS FOR 
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WITH AN ARREST OR CONVICTION 
RECORD.— 
‘‘(1) GRANT
AUTHORITY.—The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Labor, the Sec-
retary of Education, and the Attorney General, shall 
award grants in accordance with this subsection to 
eligible entities to conduct demonstration projects 
for the purpose of providing education and training 
for eligible individuals with arrest or conviction 
records to enter and follow a career pathway in the 
health professions through occupations that pay well 
and are expected to experience a labor shortage or 
be in high demand. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4223.IH
H4223
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) DURATION.—A demonstration project shall 
be conducted under this subsection for not less than 
3 years. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—An appli-
cant seeking a grant under this subsection for a 
demonstration project shall submit to the Secretary 
an application for the grant, that includes the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) A demonstration that the State in 
which the project is to be conducted has in ef-
fect policies or laws that permit certain allied 
health and behavioral health care credentials to 
be awarded to people with certain arrest or con-
viction records (which policies or laws shall in-
clude appeals processes and other opportunities 
to demonstrate rehabilitation to obtain licensure 
and approval to work in the proposed health ca-
reers), and a plan described in the application 
which will use a legally permitted career path-
way to train people with such a record to be 
trained and employed in such a career. 
‘‘(B) A discussion of how the project or fu-
ture strategic hiring decisions will demonstrate 
the experience and expertise of the project in 
working with job seekers who have arrest or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4223.IH
H4223
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
conviction records or employers with experience 
working with people with arrest or conviction 
records. 
‘‘(C) A demonstration that the applicant 
has experience working with low-income popu-
lations, or a description of the plan of the appli-
cant to work with a partner that has the experi-
ence. 
‘‘(D) An identification of promising inno-
vations or best practices that can be used to 
provide the training. 
‘‘(E) A proof of concept or demonstration 
that the applicant has done sufficient research 
on workforce shortage or in-demand jobs for 
which people with certain types of criminal 
records can be hired. 
‘‘(F) A plan for recruiting students who 
are eligible individuals into the project. 
‘‘(G) A plan for providing post-employment 
support and ongoing training as part of a ca-
reer pathway under the project. 
‘‘(4) PREFERENCES IN CONSIDERING APPLICA-
TIONS.—In considering applications for a grant 
under this subsection, the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4223.IH
H4223
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) applications submitted by applicants 
who have completed a demonstration project 
funded under this section, if an evaluation of 
the project, which was funded by the Secretary, 
found the project to have positive outcomes in 
the categories of— 
‘‘(i) graduation and credential attain-
ment; 
‘‘(ii) job placement and retention; and 
‘‘(iii) evidence of addressing the work-
er shortage or in-demand jobs described in 
the original application for funding for the 
completed demonstration project; and 
‘‘(B) applications which have an emergency 
cash fund to assist project participants finan-
cially in emergency situations. 
‘‘(5) SUPPORT TO BE PROVIDED.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIRED SUPPORT.—A project for 
which a grant is made under this subsection 
shall include access to legal assistance for 
project participants for the purpose of address-
ing arrest or conviction records and associated 
workforce barriers. 
‘‘(B) ALLOWED SUPPORT.—The goods and 
services provided under a project for which a 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4223.IH
H4223
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
grant is made under this subsection may in-
clude the following: 
‘‘(i) A reserve fund for financial as-
sistance to project participants in emer-
gency situations. 
‘‘(ii) Assistance with programs and 
activities, 
including 
legal 
assistance, 
deemed necessary to address arrest or con-
viction records as an employment barrier. 
‘‘(6) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall provide technical assistance— 
‘‘(A) to assist eligible entities in applying 
for grants under this subsection; 
‘‘(B) that is tailored to meet the needs of 
grantees at each stage of the administration of 
projects for which grants are made under this 
subsection; and 
‘‘(C) that is tailored to meet the specific 
needs of eligible entities in carrying out the 
projects. 
‘‘(7) EVALUATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, 
by grant, contract, or interagency agreement, 
conduct rigorous and well-designed evaluations 
of the demonstration projects for which a grant 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:41 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4223.IH
H4223
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS