Q: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Job Preparation and Retention
Training Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) training programs carried out under the Job Training
Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) that include a pre-
vocational component have had placement success rates that are
better than the success rates of programs under that Act that
lack that component;
(2) a need exists for skills training to enable individuals
who are welfare recipients to make transitions into
unsubsidized employment that provides career potential and
enables the individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency;
(3) current Federal law does not adequately address the
tremendously deleterious effect of unfavorable environmental
and cultural factors on the ability of such individuals to
obtain and retain gainful employment;
(4) a need exists for a Federal commitment to the
development of pre-vocational training programs that focus on--
(A) improving the job readiness of individuals who
are welfare recipients;
(B) preparing the individuals psychologically and
attitudinally for employment;
(C) teaching the individuals learning and other
appropriate skills; and
(D) placing the individuals--
(i) in permanent unsubsidized employment;
or
(ii) in skill training centers and, on
completion of the skill training, in permanent
unsubsidized employment; and
(5) community-based organizations--
(A) have provided such pre-vocational training
programs to disadvantaged populations, with
demonstrable success; and
(B) should receive additional Federal assistance to
enable the organizations to enhance the ability of the
organizations to provide the training programs in
communities with large populations of welfare
recipients and enable the organizations to provide the
training programs to additional welfare recipients.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(2) Welfare recipient.--The term ''welfare recipient''
means an individual receiving assistance under a State program
funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
(3) Welfare transition program.--The term ''welfare
transition program'' means a vocational training program
conducted by or at the direction of a State as part of a State
program described in paragraph (2).

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATES.

(a) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to States to
enable the States to assist community-based organizations in
implementing enhanced pre-vocational training programs for
eligible individuals.
(2) Grant period.--The Secretary shall make the grants for
periods of 1 year.
(b) State Plans.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, the State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require. At a minimum, the application shall contain--
(1) a State plan describing the pre-vocational training
programs to be carried out in the State with funds made
available through the grant; and
(2) in particular, information describing the manner in
which the State will ensure that an appropriate community-based
organization in the State will carry out a pre-vocational
training program for incarcerated persons described in section
5(b)(2)(B), in accordance with section 5(b)(3)(B).
(c) Award of Grants.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall take into consideration the needs of economically
distressed urban and rural areas in the States, as determined by the
Secretary.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

(a) Assistance.--
(1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under
section 4 shall use the funds made available through the grant
to provide financial assistance to community-based
organizations, to enable the organizations to implement the
pre-vocational training programs referred to in section 4.
(2) Assistance period.--The State shall make the assistance
for periods of 1 year.
(b) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--A community-based organization that
receives financial assistance under this section shall use the
assistance to implement a pre-vocational training program,
through which the organization shall provide pre-vocational
training and placement services to eligible individuals.
(2) Eligible individuals.--To be eligible to receive
services through a pre-vocational training program under this
Act, an individual shall
(A) be a welfare recipient who--
(i) is enrolled in a welfare transition
program; or
(ii) is eligible to be enrolled in, but has
not participated in, a welfare transition
program; or
(B) be a person who is incarcerated in a Federal,
State, or local prison, and will be released from the
prison within a reasonable period, as defined in
regulation by the Secretary.
(3) Pre-vocational training.--
(A) Welfare recipients.--An organization selected
by a State to implement a pre-vocational training
program for eligible individuals described in paragraph
(2)(A) shall--
(i) provide pre-vocational training,
through job training centers, designed to--
(I) as quickly as practicable,
enable the individuals to overcome the
effects of inadequate educational
preparation and unfavorable
environmental and cultural factors, in
order to prepare the individuals for
employment;
(II) improve the job readiness of
the individuals;
(III) prepare the individuals
psychologically and attitudinally for
employment; and
(IV) enable the individuals to
develop learning skills, communication
and computational skills, punctuality,
health and personal maintenance skills,
job seeking skills (including
interviewing skills), basic literacy,
skills required for receipt of a
secondary school diploma or its
equivalent, professionalism, and
responsiveness for authority; and
(ii) on completion of the pre-vocational
training, place the individuals--
(I) in permanent unsubsidized
employment; or
(II) in skill training centers that
provide superior skill training for
positions that are quickly obtainable
and, on completion of the skill
training, in permanent unsubsidized
employment.
(B) Incarcerated persons.--An organization selected
by a State to implement a pre-vocational training
program for eligible individuals described in paragraph
(2)(B) shall provide the pre-vocational training
described in subparagraph (A)(i) in the Federal, State,
or local prison involved and provide the placement
services described in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II).
(4) Limits.--The organization shall provide not less than 2
weeks and not more than 3 months of pre-vocational training to
an eligible individual through the program. The organization
shall not provide more than $1200 in services under the program
to an eligible individual.
(5) Special rule.--No organization may charge a fee to an
eligible individual for services under the program, if the
individual is a citizen or resident alien.
(6) Coordination.--A community-based organization providing
placement services under this subsection shall coordinate the
services with the efforts of local private sector businesses to
create jobs and employment opportunities.
(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive financial assistance
under this section, a community-based organization shall submit an
application to the State at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Secretary may require.

SEC. 6. MONITORING.

The Secretary shall monitor the effectiveness of programs carried
out under this Act by collecting information on--
(1) the percentage of program participants who are placed
in employment after that participation;
(2) the percentage of the participants who are retained in
employment after that participation; and
(3) the economic impact of the employment of the
participants.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$50,000,000 for fiscal years 1999 and 2000.
A:
Job Preparation and Retention Training Act of 1998 - Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to make grants to States to assist community-based organizations in implementing enhanced pre-vocational training programs for eligible individuals.
Makes individuals eligible for such training programs if they are: (1) welfare recipients who are enrolled in welfare transition programs, or who are eligible to be so enrolled but have not participated in such programs; or (2) Federal, State, or local prisoners who will be released within a reasonable period.
Limits the duration of an individual's pre-vocational training to between two weeks and three months. Limits the maximum monetary value of such services provided to any eligible individual.
Sets forth program requirements relating to State plans, grant award considerations, assistance to and use of funds by community organizations, and monitoring.
Authorizes appropriations.