Bill
Bill > A4917
NJ A4917
NJ A4917Establishes five-year youth workforce readiness grant pilot program; appropriates $5 million.
summary
Introduced
05/07/2026
05/07/2026
In Committee
05/07/2026
05/07/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill establishes a five-year youth workforce readiness grant pilot program. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development is to award grants on a competitive basis to support out-of-school time youth workforce readiness programs, providing employability skills development, career exploration, employment readiness training, mentoring, work-based learning, and workforce opportunities for eligible youth. The bill defines "eligible youth" as the same as that term is defined under the "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act," except that the individual involved may not be younger than age 12, except that career awareness programming may be provided to youth not younger than age 10, and not older than age 18, or age 19 if enrolled in secondary school. To be eligible to receive a grant under the bill, an entity is required to be a youth-serving organization that provides youth workforce readiness programming through out-of-school time programs that are community-based organizations and to obtain approval of an application submitted to the commissioner. Further, this bill requires an eligible entity implementing a youth workforce readiness program to include certain project activities, and establishes evaluation and reporting requirements to assess individual program effectiveness. The bill requires the commissioner to submit a report no later than six months following the conclusion of the five-year pilot program evaluating the effectiveness of the program and providing recommendations regarding the continuation, expansion, or modification of the program, and make the report available to the public. This bill appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Funds appropriated under the bill are to be used to supplement, and not supplant, other federal, State, or local funds expended to provide youth programs or workforce readiness programs.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a five-year pilot program to fund youth workforce readiness initiatives, appropriating $5 million for this purpose. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development will award grants competitively to organizations that provide out-of-school time programs aimed at helping eligible youth, defined similarly to those under the "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act" but with specific age ranges (10-18, or 19 if still in secondary school), develop employability skills, explore careers, gain work experience, and find employment opportunities. These programs must be community-based and involve activities like career pathway support, work experiences, occupational training, leadership development, and mentoring. The bill also mandates that grant recipients track program effectiveness through performance measures and that the Commissioner submit a public report evaluating the pilot program's success and recommending future actions. The appropriated funds are intended to supplement, not replace, existing funding for youth programs.
Committee Categories
Labor and Employment
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee (on 05/07/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A4917 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A5000/4917_I1.HTM |
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