,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #defg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #ah1 #bjbd,mr4 ,cornyn 7for himself and ,mr4 ,tillis7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act regarding reentry employment opportunities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,workforce ,reentry ,act4 #b4 ,reentry employment opportunities 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,d of title ,i of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cbba et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section #agb as section #agc2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #aga the following3 #agb4 ,reentry employment opportunities 7a7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this section are-- 7#a7 to improve the employment1 earnings1 and skill attainment1 and reduce recidivism1 of adults and youth who have been involved with the justice system2 7#b7 to prompt innovation and improvement in the reentry of justice-involved individuals into the workforce so that successful initiatives can be established or continued and replicated2 and 7#c7 to further develop the evidence on how to improve employment1 earnings1 and skill attainment1 and reduce recidivism1 of justice-involved individuals1 through rigorous evaluations of specific services provided1 including how they affect different populations and how they are best combined and sequenced1 and disseminate such evidence to entities supporting the reentry of justice-involved individuals into the workforce4 7b7 ,reentry employment competitive grants1 contracts1 and cooperative agreements authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,from the amounts appropriated under section #agc7;e7 and not reserved under subsection 7h71 the ,secretary-- 7,a7 shall1 on a competitive basis1 make grants to1 or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with1 eligible entities to implement reentry projects that serve eligible adults or eligible youth2 7,b7 may use not more than #cj percent of such amounts for awards under subparagraph 7,a7 to eligible entities to serve as national or regional intermediaries to provide such funds to other eligible entities to-- 7i7 implement reentry projects described in subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 monitor and support such entities2 7,c7 shall use #cj percent of such amounts for awards under subparagraph 7,a7 to eligible entities using pay-for-performance contracts-- 7i7 that specify a fixed amount that will be paid to the entity based on the achievement of specified levels of performance on the indicators of performance described in subsections 7e77#a77;,a77i7 and 7e77#b77;,a7 within a defined timetable2 and 7ii7 which may provide for bonus payments to such entity to expand capacity to provide effective services2 and 7,d7 shall ensure awards under this paragraph are made to eligible entities from geographically diverse areas1 in addition to the priorities described in paragraph 7#d74 7#b7 ,award periods ,the ,secretary shall make awards under paragraph 7#a7 for an initial period of not more than #d years4 7#c7 ,additional awards ,the ,secretary may award1 for a period of not more than #d years1 one or more additional awards to an eligible entity that received an award under paragraph 7#a7 if the eligible entity achieved the performance levels agreed upon with the ,secretary 7as described in subsection 7e77#c77 for the award period immediately before the additional award4 7#d7 ,priority ,in making awards under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall give priority to eligible entities whose applications submitted under subsection 7c7 demonstrate a commitment to use the funds from the award to implement reentry projects-- 7,a7 that will serve high-poverty areas2 7,b7 that will enroll eligible youth or eligible adults-- 7i7 before the release of the eligible youth or eligible adult from incarceration in a correctional institution2 or 7ii7 not later than #ij days after such release2 7,c7 that have an evidence-based strategy and design2 7,d7 that establish partnerships with-- 7i7 businesses2 or 7ii7 institutions of higher education or providers under section #abb 7as determined by the ,state where services are being provided7 to provide project participants with programs of study leading to recognized postsecondary credentials 7as identified in a ,state plan under subtitle ,a7 in in-demand occupations2 or 7,e7 that provide training services1 including customized training and on-the-job training1 that are designed to meet the specific requirements of an employer 7including a group of employers7 and are conducted with a commitment by the employer to employ individuals upon successful completion of the preparation4 7c7 ,application 7#a7 ,form and procedure ,to be qualified to receive an award under subsection 7b77#a71 an eligible entity shall submit an application at such time1 and in such manner1 as determined by the ,secretary1 and containing the information described in paragraph 7#b7 and1 as applicable1 paragraph 7#c74 7#b7 ,contents ,an application submitted by an eligible entity under paragraph 7#a7 shall contain the following3 7,a7 ,a description of the eligible entity1 including the experience of the eligible entity in providing employment and training services for justice-involved individuals4 7,b7 ,a description of the needs that will be addressed by the reentry project supported by an award under subsection 7b77#a71 and the target participant population and the geographic area to be served4 7,c7 ,a description of the proposed employment and training activities and supportive services1 if applicable1 to be provided under such reentry project1 and how such activities and services will prepare participants of the reentry project for employment in in-demand industry sectors and occupations within the geographic area to be served by such reentry project4 7,d7 ,the anticipated schedule for carrying out the activities proposed under the reentry project4 7,e7 ,a description of-- 7i7 the partnerships the eligible entity will establish with agencies and entities within the criminal justice system1 local boards and one-stop operators1 community-based organizations1 and employers 7including employers that are located in the area to be served by such reentry project7 to provide participants of the reentry project with work-based learning1 job placement1 and recruitment 7if applicable72 and 7ii7 how the eligible entity will coordinate its activities with other services and benefits available to justice-involved individuals in the geographic area to be served by the reentry project4 7,f7 ,a description of the manner in which individuals will be recruited and selected for participation for the reentry project4 7,g7 ,a detailed budget and a description of the system of fiscal controls1 and auditing and accountability procedures1 that will be used to ensure fiscal soundness for the reentry project4 7,h7 ,a description of the expected levels of performance to be achieved with respect to the performance measures described in subsection 7e74 7,i7 ,a description of the evidence-based practices the eligible entity will use in administration of the reentry project4 7,j7 ,an assurance that the eligible entity will collect1 disaggregate by each subpopulation of individuals with barriers to employment1 and by race1 ethnicity1 sex and age1 and report to the ,secretary the data required with respect to the reentry project carried out by the eligible entity for purposes of determining levels of performance achieved and conducting the evaluation under subsection 7f74 7,k7 ,an assurance that the eligible entity will provide matching funds1 as described in subsection 7d77#d74 7,l7 ,a description of how the eligible entity plans to continue the reentry project after the award period4 7#c7 ,additional content for intermediary applicants ,an application submitted under paragraph 7#a7 by an eligible entity seeking to serve as a national or regional intermediary as described in subsection 7b77#a77;,b7 shall also contain the following3 7,a7 ,an identification and description of the eligible entities that will be subgrantees of such intermediary for purposes of implementing the reentry projects1 which shall include subgrantees in-- 7i7 not less than #c noncontiguous metropolitan areas or rural areas2 and 7ii7 not less than #b ,states4 7,b7 ,a description of the services and supports the intermediary will provide to the subgrantees1 including administrative and fiscal support to ensure the subgrantees comply with all award requirements4 7,c7 ,a description of how the intermediary will facilitate the replication of evidence-based practices or other best practices identified by the intermediary across all subgrantees4 7,d7 ,if such intermediary is currently receiving1 or has previously received1 funds under this section as an intermediary to implement a reentry project1 an assurance that none of the subgrantees identified under subparagraph 7,a7 were previous subgrantees of the intermediary for such reentry project that failed to meet the levels of performance established for such reentry project4 7d7 ,uses of funds 7#a7 ,required activities ,an eligible entity that receives funds under subsection 7b77#a7 shall use such funds to implement a reentry project for eligible adults or eligible youth that provides each of the following3 7,a7 ,one or more of the individualized career services listed in subclause 7,i7 through 7,,ix7 of section #acd7;c77#b77;,a77xii74 7,b7 ,one or more of the training services listed in clauses 7i7 through 7xi7 in section #acd7;c77#c77;,d71 including subsidized employment opportunities through transitional jobs4 7,c7 ,for participants who are eligible youth1 one or more of the program elements listed in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,n7 of section #abi7;c77#b74 7#b7 ,allowable activities ,an eligible entity that receives funds under subsection 7b77#a7 may use such funds to implement a reentry project for eligible adults or eligible youth that provides the following3 7,a7 ,follow-up services after placement in unsubsidized employment as described in section #acd7;c77#b77;,a77xiii74 7,b7 ,apprenticeship programs4 7,c7 ,education in digital literacy skills4 7,d7 ,mentoring4 7,e7 ,assistance in obtaining employment1 including as a result of the eligible entity-- 7i7 establishing and developing relationships and networks with large and small employers2 and 7ii7 coordinating with employers to develop customized training programs and on-the-job training4 7,f7 ,assistance with driver's license reinstatement and fees for driver's licenses and obtaining other necessary documents for employment4 7,g7 ,provision of or referral to evidence-based mental health treatment by licensed practitioners4 7,h7 ,provision of or referral to substance use disorder treatment services1 provided that funds awarded under subsection 7b77#a7 are only used to provide such services to participants who are unable to obtain such services through other programs providing such services4 7,i7 ,provisions of or referral to supportive services1 provided that no more than #e percent of funds awarded to an eligible entity under subsection 7b77#a7 may be used to provide such services to participants who are able to obtain such services through other programs providing such services4 7#c7 ,administrative cost limit ,an eligible entity may not use more than #g percent of the funds received under subsection 7b77#a7 for administrative costs1 including for costs related to collecting information1 analysis1 and coordination for purposes of subsection 7e7 or 7f74 7#d7 ,matching funds 7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 an eligible entity shall provide a non-,federal contribution1 which may be provided in cash or in kind1 for the costs of the project in an amount that is not less than #be percent of the total amount of funds awarded to the entity for such period4 7,b7 ,exception ,the ,secretary may waive the matching funds requirement under subparagraph 7,a71 on a case-by-case basis and for not more than #bj percent of all awards made under subsection 7b77#a71 if the eligible entity receiving the award demonstrates significant financial hardship4 7e7 ,levels of performance 7#a7 ,establishment of levels 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish expected levels of performance for reentry projects funded under this section for-- 7i7 each of the primary indicators of performance for adults and youth described in section #aaf7;b77#b72 and 7ii7 an indicator of performance established by the ,secretary with respect to participant recidivism4 7,b7 ,updates ,the levels established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be updated for each #d-year award period4 7#b7 ,agreement on performance levels ,in establishing and updating performance levels under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall reach agreement on such levels with the eligible entities receiving awards under subsection 7b77#a7 that will be subject to such levels based on1 as the ,secretary determines relevant for each indicator of performance1 the following factors3 7,a7 ,the expected performance levels of each such eligible entity described in the application submitted under subsection 7c77#b77;,h74 7,b7 ,the local economic conditions of the geographic area to be served by each such eligible entity1 including differences in unemployment rates and job losses or gains in particular industries4 7,c7 ,the characteristics of project participants when entering the project involved1 including-- 7i7 criminal records2 7ii7 indicators of poor work history2 7iii7 lack of work experience2 7iv7 lack of educational or occupational skills attainment2 7v7 low levels of literacy or ,english proficiency2 7vi7 disability status2 7vii7 homelessness2 and 7viii7 receipt of public assistance4 7#c7 ,failure to meet performance levels ,in the case of an eligible entity that fails to meet the performance levels under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance to the eligible entity1 including the development of a performance improvement plan4 7f7 ,evaluation of reentry projects 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #e years after the first award of funds under subsection 7b77#a7 is made1 the ,secretary 7acting through the ,chief ,evaluation ,officer7 shall meet each of the following requirements3 7,a7 ,design and conduct of evaluation ,design and conduct an evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of the reentry projects funded under subsection 7b77#a71 which meets the requirements of paragraph 7#b71 and includes an evaluation of each of the following3 7i7 ,the effectiveness of such projects in assisting individuals with finding employment and maintaining employment at the second quarter and fourth quarter after unsubsidized employment is obtained4 7ii7 ,the effectiveness of such projects in assisting individuals with earning recognized postsecondary credentials4 7iii7 ,the effectiveness of such projects in relation to their cost1 including the extent to which the projects improve reentry outcomes1 including outcomes in employment1 compensation 7which may include wages earned and benefits71 career advancement1 measurable skill gains1 credentials earned1 and recidivism of participants in comparison to comparably situated individuals who did not participate in such projects4 7iv7 ,the effectiveness of specific services and interventions provided and of the overall project design4 7v7 ,if applicable1 the extent to which such projects effectively serve various demographic groups1 including people of different geographic locations1 ages1 races1 national origins1 sex1 and criminal records1 and individuals with disabilities4 7vi7 ,if applicable1 the appropriate sequencing1 combination1 or concurrent structure of services for each subpopulation of individuals who are participants of such projects1 such as the order1 combination1 or concurrent structure and services in which transitional jobs and occupational skills development are provided to ensure that such participants are prepared to fully benefit from employment and training services provided under the project4 7vii7 ,limitations or barriers to education and employment as a result of occupational or educational licensing restrictions4 7,b7 ,data accessibility ,make available1 on the publicly accessible website of the ,department of ,labor1 data collected during the course of evaluation under this subsection1 in an aggregated format that does not disclose personally identifiable information4 7#b7 ,design requirements ,an evaluation under this paragraph 7#a77;,a7-- 7,a7 shall-- 7i7 be designed by the ,secretary 7acting through the ,chief ,evaluation ,officer7 in conjunction with the eligible entities carrying out the reentry projects being evaluated2 7ii7 include analysis of participant feedback and outcome and process measures2 and 7iii7 use designs that employ the most rigorous analytical and statistical methods that are reasonably feasible1 such as the use of control groups2 and 7,b7 may not-- 7i7 collect personally identifiable information1 except to the extent such information is necessary to conduct the evaluation2 or 7ii7 reveal or share personally identifiable information4 7#c7 ,publication and reporting of evaluation findings ,the ,secretary 7acting through the ,chief ,evaluation ,officer7 shall-- 7,a7 in accordance with a timeline determined to be appropriate by the ,chief ,evaluation ,officer1 publish an interim report on such evaluation2 7,b7 not later than #ij days after the date on which any evaluation is completed under this subsection1 publish and make publicly available such evaluation2 and 7,c7 not later than #fj days after the completion date described in subparagraph 7,b71 submit to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate a report on such evaluation4 7g7 ,annual report 7#a7 ,contents ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall post1 using transparent1 linked1 open1 and interoperable data formats1 on its publicly accessible website1 an annual report on-- 7,a7 the number of individuals who participated in projects assisted under this section for the year preceding the report2 7,b7 the percentage of such individuals who successfully completed the requirements of such projects2 7,c7 the performance during the year preceding the report of eligible entities on such projects as measured by the performance indicators set forth in subsection 7e72 and 7,d7 an explanation of any waivers granted by the ,secretary of the matching requirement under subsection 7d77#d74 7#b7 ,disaggregation ,the information provided under subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c7 of paragraph 7#a7 with respect to a year shall be disaggregated by each project assisted under this section for such year4 7h7 ,reservation of funds ,of the funds appropriated under section #agc7;e7 for a fiscal year1 the ,secretary-- 7#a7 may reserve not more than #e percent for the administration of awards under subsection 7b77#a71 of which not more than #b percent of the funds appropriated may be reserved for the provision of-- 7,a7 technical assistance to eligible entities that receive funds under such subsection2 and 7,b7 outreach and technical assistance to eligible entities desiring to receive such funds1 including assistance with application development and submission2 and 7#b7 shall reserve not less than #a percent and not more than #b4e percent for the evaluation activities under subsection 7f7 or to support eligible entities with any required data collection1 analysis1 and coordination related to such evaluation activities4 7i7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,award ,the term award means a grant1 contract1 or cooperative agreement4 7#b7 ,chief evaluation officer ,the term ,chief ,evaluation ,officer means the head of the independent evaluation office in the ,office of the ,assistant ,secretary for ,policy of the ,department of ,labor4 7#c7 ,community supervision ,the term community supervision means mandatory oversight 7including probation and parole7 of a formerly incarcerated person-- 7,a7 who was convicted of a crime by a judge or parole board2 and 7,b7 who is living outside a secure facility4 7#d7 ,correctional institution ,the term correctional institution has the meaning given the term in section #bbe7;e74 7#e7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a private nonprofit organization under section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 including a community-based or faith-based organization2 7,b7 a local board2 7,c7 a ,state or local government2 7,d7 an entity eligible for grants under section #aff7;c72 7,e7 a labor organization or joint labor-management organization2 7,f7 an industry or sector partnership2 7,g7 an institution of higher education2 or 7,h7 a consortium of the entities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,g74 7#f7 ,eligible adult ,the term eligible adult means a justice-involved individual who-- 7,a7 is age #be or older2 and 7,b7 in the case of an individual that was previously incarcerated1 was released from incarceration not more than #c years before enrollment in a project funded under subsection 7b77#a74 7#g7 ,eligible youth ,the term eligible youth means a justice-involved individual who is not younger than age #ad or older than age #bd4 7#h7 ,evidence-based ,the term evidence-based1 when used with respect to an activity1 service1 strategy1 or intervention1 means an activity1 service1 strategy1 or intervention that-- 7,a7 demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving participant outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on-- 7i7 strong evidence from at least #a well-designed and well-implemented experimental study2 7ii7 moderate evidence from at least #a well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study2 or 7iii7 promising evidence from at least #a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias2 or 7,b7 7i7 demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity1 strategy1 or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes2 and 7ii7 includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity1 service1 strategy1 or intervention4 7#i7 ,high-poverty ,the term high-poverty1 when used with respect to a geographic area1 means an area with a poverty rate of at least #bj percent as determined based on the most recently available data from the ,american ,community ,survey conducted by the ,bureau of the ,census4 7#aj7 ,justice-involved individual ,the term justice-involved individual means an individual who has been convicted as a juvenile or an adult and imprisoned under ,federal or ,state law4 7#aa7 ,work-based learning ,the term work-based learning has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcjb74 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,the table of contents in section #a7;b7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating the item relating to section #agb as section #agc2 7#b7 by inserting after the item relating to section #aga1 the following3 ,sec4 #agb4 ,reentry employment opportunities 4