An Act To Expand Apprenticeship Programs and Scholarship Programs with Funding from Identification of Ineffective Economic Development Tax Incentives
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1432
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: STUCKEY, MARTIN, ALFOND, FLEMINGS, GILBERT, HERBIG, TUTTLE, JACKSON, PATRICK
Amends: 26 MRSA §2006

Legislative Document 
No. 1432 
H.P. 1053 
House of Representatives, April 7, 2011 
An Act To Expand Apprenticeship Programs and Scholarship 
Programs with Funding from Identification of Ineffective Economic 
Development Tax Incentives 
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative STUCKEY of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Representative MARTIN of Eagle Lake, Senator ALFOND of Cumberland 
and Representatives: FLEMINGS of Bar Harbor, GILBERT of Jay, HERBIG of Belfast, 
TUTTLE of Sanford, Senators: JACKSON of Aroostook, PATRICK of Oxford. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §2006, sub-§5-A, ¶P is enacted to read: 
P.  The committee shall establish and implement a program to promote and establish 
apprenticeships in high-wage, high-demand occupations.  The program must be 
designed to address barriers to the use of apprenticeship; improve access to 
apprenticeship for women, minorities and people with low income; and provide a 
more efficient method for employers and workers to use apprenticeship as a talent 
development strategy customized to meet their needs.  The committee shall develop 
and implement the program within the limit of funds available for this purpose and 
shall: 
(1)  Collaborate with industry associations in the State to identify opportunities 
for apprenticeships that meet the needs of the industries covered by those 
associations and that are in high-wage, high-demand jobs; 
(2)  Identify and develop specific requirements and qualifications for entry into 
apprenticeships and establish standards for corresponding preapprenticeship 
skills training programs that result in an industry-recognized credential certifying 
that the individual is ready to enter apprenticeship; 
(3)  Collaborate with the Department of Labor's career centers, workforce 
investment boards, a statewide system of centers that supports access to 
education and the workforce for women, a national organization that prepares 
women for transportation construction jobs, the Department of Labor, Bureau of 
Rehabilitation Services and other appropriate partners to identify, assess and 
prepare a pool of qualified candidates seeking to enter apprenticeship; 
(4)  Using funds appropriated to support this paragraph, enroll in the Competitive 
Skills Scholarship Program established in section 2033 all individuals who are 
eligible for services under that program and who are engaged in an 
apprenticeship or preapprenticeship skills training program under this paragraph; 
(5)  Provide for funds available under this paragraph to be used for on-the-job 
training, tuition, services available under the Competitive Skills Scholarship 
Program and other services necessary to implement this paragraph; 
(6)  Enter into formal agreements with industry associations and employers to 
hire apprentices directly from the pool of individuals who have successfully 
completed a preapprenticeship skills training program under this paragraph; and 
(7)  Register all newly employed apprentices with nationally recognized 
apprenticeship programs and ensure that the programs meet both state and federal 
apprenticeship standards. 
Sec. 2.  Apprenticeship program.  The Department of Labor shall expand 
apprenticeship programs under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 2006, 
subsection 5-A, including apprenticeships for high-wage, high-demand occupations under 
Title 26, section 2006, subsection 5-A, paragraph P, and increase the availability of 
scholarships for those apprenticeship programs under the Competitive Skills Scholarship 
Program under Title 26, section 2033 to the extent permitted by revenue savings 
identified under section 3. 
Sec. 3.  High-demand allied health care training programs.  The Maine 
Community College System shall develop and implement a plan to expand programs for 
training in high-demand allied health care occupations at all campuses of the Maine 
Community College System.  The plan must provide for the creation of at least 2 classes 
of 10 students at each community college campus in the first year of the programs under 
the plan and 4 classes of 10 students at each campus in the 2nd year of the programs.  The 
plan must provide that 2/3 of the enrollment in the programs must be reserved for 
participants in the apprenticeship program established under the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 26, section 2006, subsection 5-A, paragraph P and 2/3 of the students from the 
apprenticeship program must be eligible for the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program 
under Title 26, section 2033.  The cost of implementing the plan under this section must 
be paid 1/3 by the Maine Community College System from existing funding and 2/3 from 
the General Fund.  For the purposes of this section, "high-demand allied health care 
occupations" includes but is not limited to phlebotomists, medical laboratory technicians, 
medical technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory technicians, surgical technicians, 
physical therapists, occupational therapists and pharmacy technicians. 
Sec. 4.  Funding.  The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services 
shall contract with the University of Maine System to perform an independent analysis of 
the tax expenditures identified as economic development incentives, as defined in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 13070-J, to evaluate the effectiveness of those 
incentives in fostering economic development in the State.  The analysis must identify 
how economic development incentives can be modified to provide up to $10,000,000 in 
revenue savings that are adequate to fund the expansion of the apprenticeship programs 
under Title 26, section 2006, subsection 5-A and the expansion of the Competitive Skills 
Scholarship Program established under Title 26, section 2033.  The commissioner shall 
submit the analysis and the commissioner's recommendations to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development by January 15, 
2012. 
Sec. 5.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE MAINE 
Maine Community College System - Board of Trustees 0556 
Initiative:  Provides funds for 2/3 of the cost to implement a plan to expand training 
programs for high-demand allied health care occupations. 
GENERAL FUND 
2011-12
2012-13
All Other 
$840,000
$1,680,000
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Maine Jobs Council, through the Standing Committee on 
Apprenticeship, to establish apprenticeships in high-wage, high-demand occupations and 
requires the Department of Labor to increase the availability of apprenticeship programs 
and competitive skills scholarships for students in apprenticeship programs.  The bill also 
requires the Maine Community College System to expand training programs for 
high-demand allied health care occupations.  The Commissioner of Administrative and 
Financial Services is directed to contract with the University of Maine System to evaluate 
tax expenditures identified as economic development incentives for effectiveness and to 
identify up to $10,000,000 in revenue savings to fund the expansions in apprenticeships 
and scholarships.