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Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §2033, sub-§5-A  is enacted to read:
 
5-A.  Secondary student eligibility.     Notwithstanding subsection 5, paragraph A, before January 1, 2020, a full-time student at a public secondary school enrolled in a career and technical education program at a career and technical education center or a career and technical education region may be granted enrollment in the program if the student applies for enrollment and meets the requirements of subsection 5, paragraphs B, C, D and E. For the purpose of determining eligibility under subsection 5, paragraph C, "income" includes the income of the student's family as defined by department rule.
 
The commissioner may not expend, on an annualized basis, more than 15% of the annual revenue to the fund for tuition, other allowable costs and administration and case management for students enrolled in the program under this subsection and the costs for any of these students who continue to participate in the program after attaining 18 years of age.
 
This subsection is repealed January 1, 2020.
Sec. 2. Report. The Department of Labor shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over workforce training matters by January 1, 2019 assessing the status of the inclusion of public secondary school students enrolled in a career and technical education program at a career and technical education center or a career and technical education region in the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 2033, subsection 5-A and the effect of this inclusion on the Competitive Skills Scholarship Fund and including any recommended legislation related to the report's findings. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over workforce training matters may report out a bill to address issues raised by the report to the First Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Employment Services Activity 0852
 
Initiative: Allocates funds for tuition costs associated with expanding the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program to include eligible full-time secondary students at public secondary schools.

COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND	2015-16	2016-17	
All Other	$35,000	$131,600	
			
COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND TOTAL	$35,000	$131,600	

Employment Services Activity 0852
 
Initiative: Allocates funds for one CareerCenter Consultant position beginning in fiscal year 2015-16 and an additional CareerCenter Consultant position beginning in fiscal year 2016-17 to support the additional workload associated with expanding the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program to include certain full-time secondary students at public secondary schools.

COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND	2015-16	2016-17	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	1.000	2.000	
Personal Services	$45,111	$121,096	
All Other	$19,750	$39,500	
			
COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND TOTAL	$64,861	$160,596	

LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF			
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2015-16	2016-17	
			
COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND	$99,861	$292,196	
			
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$99,861	$292,196	
 
’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill. Like the bill, the amendment expands the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program to include participants who are under 18 years of age if they are full-time students at a public secondary school and enrolled in a career and technical education program at a career and technical education center or a career and technical education region. The amendment requires these participants to meet the other eligibility criteria of the program, which require that participants:
1. Not have a marketable postsecondary degree;
2. Have family income less than 200% of the federal poverty level;
3. Be applying for education or training for a job in an approved industry; and
4. Have the aptitude to undertake and complete education or training as determined by the institution providing the education or training.
The amendment caps program expenditures for these students, including administrative and case management costs and the costs for these students if they continue in the program after reaching 18 years of age, at 15% of the annual revenue of the Competitive Skills Scholarship Fund.
The amendment provides that these provisions are repealed January 1, 2020. The Department of Labor must submit a report to the Legislature regarding these changes to the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program, and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over workforce training matters is authorized to report out a bill to the First Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.
This amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section to the bill.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)