PATH Act
Bill: H.R.580 | Sponsor: Rep. Norcross, Donald (D-NJ)
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats Act or the PATH Act
This bill directs the Department of Labor to provide grants to eligible entities to develop pre-apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low income and rural census tracts.

To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-
 apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that 
  serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low 
                    income and rural census tracts.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats 
Act'' or the ``PATH Act''.

SEC. 2. SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

    (a) Support.--The Secretary of Labor shall support the development 
of pre-apprenticeship programs.
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Using funds available under subsection 
        (h), the Secretary shall make grants on a competitive basis to 
        eligible entities to provide the Federal share of the cost of 
        carrying out projects that support that development.
            (2) Period.--The Secretary shall make initial grants under 
        this Act for periods of not more than 3 years, except that if 
        an eligible entity demonstrates satisfactory performance under 
        subsection (f) by the end of that third year, the Secretary may 
        extend the grant period up to an additional 1 year for that 
        entity.
            (3) Eligible entity.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
        from the Secretary under this Act, an entity shall be a 
        nonprofit partnership that--
                    (A) includes the equal participation of industry, 
                including public or private employers, and labor 
                organizations, including joint labor or management 
                training programs, and may include State and local 
                workforce development boards, community-based 
                organizations, educational institutions (such as 
                postsecondary educational institutions, local 
                educational agencies, State educational agencies, high 
                schools, and area career and technical schools), small 
                businesses, cooperatives, State and local veterans 
                agencies, and veterans service organizations; and
                    (B) demonstrates--
                            (i) experience in implementing and 
                        operating worker skills training and education 
                        programs;
                            (ii) the ability to identify and involve in 
                        training programs carried out under this grant, 
                        target populations of individuals who would 
                        benefit from training and be actively involved 
                        in activities related to all building and 
                        construction trade crafts; and
                            (iii) the ability to help individuals 
                        achieve economic self-sufficiency.
            (4) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to 
        eligible entities that leverage additional public and private 
        resources to fund programs under this Act, including cash or 
        in-kind matches from participating employers.
    (c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant from the 
Secretary under this Act, an entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require, including--
            (1) a description of the training and curriculum described 
        in subsection (g)(7)(C), and how the proposed pre-
        apprenticeship program makes individuals who successfully 
        complete the pre-apprenticeship program qualified to enter into 
        an established registered apprenticeship program;
            (2) evidence that there are or will be sufficient openings 
        available in the registered apprenticeship program referenced 
        in paragraph (1) to enable the registered apprenticeship 
        program sponsor to place into a corresponding registered 
        apprenticeship those individuals who successfully complete the 
        pre-apprenticeship program;
            (3) information about the entity that demonstrates the 
        existence of an active, advisory partnership between the 
        partners described in subsection (b)(3) and the capacity, of a 
        training and education provider in the entity, to provide the 
        training and education services necessary for a pre-
        apprenticeship program; and
            (4) information about the proposed pre-apprenticeship 
        program that demonstrates--
                    (A) that the program is in an in-demand industry or 
                occupation in the region in which the project is 
                located;
                    (B) the inclusion of career exploration focused 
                activities, such as career information activities, and 
                resume preparation, in the program;
                    (C) if the entity carrying out the project includes 
                a high school, that the model to be used for the 
                program leads to a high school diploma for participants 
                without such a diploma;
                    (D) how the pre-apprenticeship program is aligned 
                with and leverages resources of career and technical 
                education programs, programs and services authorized 
                under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
                U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), or activities of entities that 
                provide supportive services for participants in pre-
                apprenticeship programs; and
                    (E) that the project aligns with an established 
                registered apprenticeship program, including that the 
                model used for the program leads to the attainment of 
                skills and competencies necessary for entrance into the 
                registered apprenticeship program for participants.
    (d) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under this Act shall use the grant funds to carry out a project 
        that implements a pre-apprenticeship program.
            (2) Required activities.--The eligible entity shall use the 
        grant funds--
                    (A) to pay for the cost of training or education 
                associated with a pre-apprenticeship program for 
                individuals from an underrepresented population;
                    (B) for curriculum development that align with the 
                requirements of the appropriate registered 
                apprenticeship programs and learning assessments;
                    (C) to maintain a connection between the pre-
                apprenticeship program and registered apprenticeship 
                program;
                    (D) for assessments of potential participants for, 
                and enrollment of the participants in, the pre-
                apprenticeship program; and
                    (E) to conduct evaluations described in subsection 
                (f)(2).
            (3) Allowable activities.--The eligible entity may use the 
        grant funds for--
                    (A) stipends for participants during work-based 
                training in the program;
                    (B) coordination of activities under this 
                subsection with activities carried out under the Carl 
                D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 
                (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) or the Workforce Innovation 
                and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); and
                    (C) drug testing of potential participants.
    (e) Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost described in 
        subsection (b)(1) shall be 75 percent.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The eligible entity may contribute 
        the non-Federal share of the cost in cash or in-kind, fairly 
        evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services.
    (f) Performance.--
            (1) Measures.--The Secretary shall identify a set of common 
        measures that, at a minimum, include measures of entry into a 
        registered apprenticeship program and that are aligned with 
        performance accountability measures described in section 116(c) 
        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3141(c)) for the local workforce development area and with 
        corresponding measures under the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
        Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), as 
        appropriate.
            (2) Evaluations.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
        grant to carry out a project under this subsection shall 
        arrange for another qualified entity to conduct an evaluation, 
        or shall participate in a Department of Labor sponsored 
        evaluation, of the project using the identified common 
        measures, and shall, to the extent practicable, cooperate with 
        the evaluator in any evaluations of activities carried out 
        under this section.
            (3) Extensions.--The Secretary shall use the results of an 
        evaluation for a project to determine whether to extend the 
        grant period, or renew a grant, for the project under 
        subsection (b)(2).
    (g) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Area career and technical school.--The term ``area 
        career and technical school'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
        Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
            (2) High school.--The term ``high school'' means a 
        nonprofit institutional day or residential school that--
                    (A) provides secondary education, as determined 
                under State law;
                    (B) grants a diploma, as defined by the State; and
                    (C) includes, at least, grade 12.
            (3) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term 
        ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (4) Local educational agency; state educational agency.--
        The terms ``local educational agency'' and ``State educational 
        agency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (5) Local and state workforce development boards.--The 
        terms ``local workforce development board'' and ``State 
        workforce development board'' have the meanings given the terms 
        ``local board'' and ``State board'', respectively, in section 3 
        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3102).
            (6) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term 
        ``postsecondary educational institution'' means an institution 
        of higher education, as defined in section 102 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
            (7) Pre-apprenticeship program.--The term ``pre-
        apprenticeship program'' means a program or set of strategies 
        that--
                    (A) is designed to prepare individuals to enter and 
                succeed in a registered apprenticeship program in the 
                building and construction trades;
                    (B) is carried out by an eligible entity that has a 
                documented partnership with at least 1 sponsor of a 
                registered apprenticeship program; and
                    (C) includes training (including a curriculum for 
                the training), aligned with industry standards and 
                reviewed and approved annually by sponsors of the 
                registered apprenticeships within the documented 
                partnership, that will prepare individuals by teaching 
                the skills and competencies needed to enter one or more 
                registered apprenticeship programs.
            (8) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term 
        ``registered apprenticeship program'' means a program 
        registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as 
        the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 
        29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (10) Sponsor.--The term ``sponsor'' means an employer, 
        joint labor-management partnership, trade association, 
        professional association, labor organization, or other entity 
        that administers a registered apprenticeship program.
            (11) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (12) Underrepresented population.--The term 
        ``underrepresented population'' means an individual who--
                    (A) is a member of a racial minority, a woman, a 
                military veteran, or a person who is long-term 
                unemployed; or
                    (B) comes from a geographic area consisting of a 
                single census tract or a group of census tracts, each 
                of which meets the criteria for a low-income community, 
                as defined in section 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue 
                Code of 1986.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 
and each subsequent fiscal year.
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