,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ddji  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #bh1    
#bjbf,mr4 ,banks 7for himself and ,mr4  
,cassidy7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1  
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
clarify the program standards           
registration process for registered     
apprenticeship programs1 and for other  
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,streamlining       
,timely ,apprenticeship ,registration   
and ,transparency ,act or the ,,start   
,act4  #b4 ,apprenticeship program      
standards approval ,the ,act of ,august 
#af1 #aicg 7commonly known as the       
,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej     
,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4
 #ej et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by      
redesignating section #d as section #e2 
and  7#b7 by inserting after section #c 
the following3  #d4 ,apprenticeship     
program registration  7a7 ,definitions  

,for purposes of this section3 7#a7     
,competency-based approach  7,a7 ,in    
general ,the term competency-based      
approach means1 with respect to a       
program registered as an apprenticeship 
program under this ,act1 measuring skill
 acquisition in the program through the 
successful demonstration of acquired    
skills and knowledge1 as verified by the
 program sponsor4  7,b7 ,on-the-job     
learning ,a program described in        
subparagraph 7,a7 program that uses the 
competency-based approach shall be      
required to include completion of an    
on-the-job learning component of the    
program for purposes of such an         
approach4  7#b7 ,complete program       
standards ,the term complete program    
standards means program standards       
submitted to the ,secretary or a ,state 
apprenticeship agency in accordance with
 subsection 7b77#a7 that-- 7,a7 satisfy 
each of the requirements in             
subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,d7 of such 
subsection2 and  7,b7 do not contain    

clerical errors as determined by the    
,secretary or ,state apprenticeship     
agency4  7#c7 ,incomplete program       
standards ,the term incomplete program  
standards means program standards       
submitted to the ,secretary or a ,state 
apprenticeship agency in accordance with
 subsection 7b77#a7 that-- 7,a7 fail to 
satisfy one or more of the requirements 
in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,d7 of   
such subsection2 or  7,b7 contain       
clerical errors as determined by the    
,secretary or ,state apprenticeship     
agency4  7#d7 ,national apprenticeship  
system ,the term national apprenticeship
 system means the system established by 
the ,secretary of ,labor to carry out   
the activities authorized and directed  
to be carried out under section #a4     
7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary    
means the ,secretary of ,labor4  7#f7   
,state apprenticeship agency ,the term  
,state apprenticeship agency means an   
entity of the government of a ,state    
that is recognized1 under criteria      

established by the ,secretary1 for      
purposes of approving program standards 
that conform with the standards set by  
the ,secretary for registering          
apprenticeship programs under the       
national apprenticeship system4  7#g7   
,time-based approach ,the term          
time-based approach means1 with respect 
to a program registered as an           
apprenticeship program under this ,act1 
measuring skill acquisition in the      
program through the completion of at    
least #b1jjj hours of on-the-job        
learning as described in a work process 
schedule4  7b7 ,in general ,in          
administering this ,act the ,secretary  
shall establish a national              
apprenticeship system that provides the 
following3 7#a7 ,program standards for  
registration ,a person seeking to       
register a program as an apprenticeship 
program under this ,act shall submit    
program standards to the ,secretary or1 
as relevant1 a ,state apprenticeship    
agency at such time and in such manner  

as the ,secretary may require1 that--   
7,a7 list each of the entities involved 
in the program1 including any employer1 
group of employers1 employer            
association1 labor organization1 or     
labor-management organization2  7,b7    
specify whether the program uses a      
competency-based1 time-based1 or hybrid 
approach2  7,c7 provide sufficient      
information to determine whether the    
apprenticeship program standards conform
 with wage1 safety1 and licensing       
standards required by the ,state in     
which the program will operate and any  
other ,state standards with which the   
,secretary requires entities submitting 
program standards to comply2 and  7,d7  
provide sufficient information to       
determine whether the apprenticeship    
program standards conform with standards
 of apprenticeship established by the   
,secretary under this ,act1 including   
the requirements under part #bi of title
 #bi1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or
 successor regulations74  7#b7          

,reviewing program standards  7,a7 ,in  
general ,not later than #ij days after  
receipt by the ,secretary or a ,state   
apprenticeship agency of program        
standards submitted in accordance with  
paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary or ,state
 apprenticeship agency shall1 if the    
program standards are complete program  
standards1 provide to the prospective   
sponsor a decision that-- 7i7 approves  
or denies the program standards2 and    
7ii7 if the decision is a denial1 states
 the areas of noncompliance and provides
 suggestive action to correct the       
noncompliance4  7,b7 ,incomplete program
 standards ,not later than #cj days     
after receipt by the ,secretary or a    
,state apprenticeship agency of program 
standards submitted in accordance with  
paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary or ,state
 apprenticeship agency shall1 if the    
program standards are incomplete program
 standards1 provide the prospective     
sponsor with corrective feedback to     
direct the prospective sponsor to bring 

such program standards into conformity  
with complete program standards4  7,c7  
,performance accountability ,beginning  
not later than #abj days after the date 
of enactment of this section1 the       
,secretary shall1 on a monthly basis1   
make publicly available online the      
average response times by the ,secretary
 to standards submitted in accordance   
with paragraph 7#a71 disaggregated by   
whether the standards are complete      
program standards or incomplete program 
standards4  4  #c4 ,clarification of the
 role of ,state apprenticeship councils 
7a7 ,in general ,the ,act of ,august    
#af1 #aicg 7commonly known as the       
,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej     
,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4
 #ej et seq471 as amended by section #b1
 is further amended by adding at the end
 of section #d of such ,act 7as added by
 section #b7 the following3  7#c7 ,state
 apprenticeship councils ,a ,state      
apprenticeship council of any ,state    
apprenticeship agency shall not-- 7,a7  

have the final decision making authority
 for purposes of paragraph 7#b7 over any
 program standards submitted in         
accordance with this subsection2 or     
7,b7 be required to recommend any such  
program standards for purposes of such  
paragraph4  4  7b7 ,effective date ,the 
amendment made by subsection 7a7 shall  
take effect on the date that is #b years
 after the date of enactment of this    
,act4  #d4 ,apprenticeship grant program
  7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3    
7#a7 ,apprentice ,the term apprentice   
means an individual participating in a  
registered apprenticeship program4  7#b7
 ,new apprentice ,the term new          
apprentice means1 with respect to       
applying the formula established under  
subsection 7c77#a7 for a program year1  
an apprentice who is newly enrolled in a
 registered apprenticeship program in   
such program year4  7#c7 ,program year  
,the term program year means the year   
period beginning on ,july #a and ending 
on ,june #cj of the next year4  7#d7    

,registered apprenticeship program ,the 
term registered apprenticeship program  
means an apprenticeship program         
registered under the ,act of ,august    
#af1 #aicg 7commonly known as the       
,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej     
,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4
 #ej et seq474  7#e7 ,secretary ,the    
term ,secretary means the ,secretary of 
,labor4  7#f7 ,state ,except in         
subsection 7c77#a77;,c71 the term ,state
 means each of the several ,states of   
the ,united ,states1 the ,district of   
,columbia1 and any territory or         
possession of the ,united ,states4  7#g7
 ,state apprenticeship agency ,the term 
,state apprenticeship agency has the    
meaning given such term in section #d of
 the ,act of ,august #af1 #aicg         
7commonly known as the ,national        
,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej ,stat4 #ffd1  
chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ej et      
seq474  7b7 ,in general ,for each       
program year that begins after the date 
of enactment of this ,act1 the          

,secretary shall1 not later than the    
beginning of the program year1 award    
grants to ,states for the program year1 
in accordance with the formula under    
subsection 7c71 to carry out the        
activities described in subsection 7d74 
7c7 ,award procedures ,the ,secretary   
shall award grant funds under subsection
 7b7 in accordance with the following3  
7#a7 ,formula for allotment ,not later  
than #cj days before the start of each  
program year1 the ,secretary shall      
establish a formula to determine the    
allotment amounts for each program year 
for the grant that-- 7,a7 is based on   
the population of the ,state and the    
number of apprentices whose primary     
residence is in the ,state as compared  
to the population of every other ,state 
and number of apprentices whose primary 
residence is in any other ,state2  7,b7 
is based on the number of new           
apprentices whose primary residence is  
in the ,state as compared to the number 
of new apprentices whose primary        

residence is in any other ,state2 and   
7,c7 subject to available               
appropriations1 provides that each of   
the several ,states of the ,united      
,states and the ,district of ,columbia  
shall not be allotted less than         
#a1jjj1jjj for each program year4  7#b7 
,award amount ,subject to paragraph     
7#c71 the ,secretary shall award each   
,state an amount for a program year     
equal to the sum of-- 7,a7 half of the  
amount allotted to the ,state under the 
formula established under paragraph 7#a7
 for the program year2  7,b7 an amount  
7not more than the amount described in  
subparagraph 7,a77 equal to the matching
 amount in the notice submitted by the  
,state under subsection 7e72 and  7,c7  
if the matching amount of the ,state is 
equal to the amount described in        
subparagraph 7,a71 the proportional     
amount for the ,state as determined     
under paragraph 7#d74  7#c7 ,deduction  
for delayed responses for registering   
apprenticeship programs  7,a7           

,determination of delay ,the ,secretary 
shall determine the average complete    
program standards response time and the 
average incomplete program standards    
response time of each ,state that-- 7i7 
receives a grant under this section2 and
  7ii7 registers registered             
apprenticeship programs in the ,state   
through a ,state apprenticeship agency4 
7,b7 ,deduction ,for each such ,state in
 which the ,secretary under subparagraph
 7,a7 determines the average complete   
program standards response time is more 
than #ij days in a program year or the  
average incomplete program standards    
response time is more than #cj days in a
 program year1 the ,secretary shall     
deduct a percentage of the award amount 
under paragraph 7#b7 for the next       
program year that is-- 7i7 equal to half
 of the sum of-- 7,i7 the number of days
 of the average complete program        
standards response time minus #ij2 and  
7,,ii7 the number of days of the average
 incomplete program standards response  

time minus #cj2 but  7ii7 not more than 
#bj4  7,c7 ,average response time  7i7  
,definitions ,for purposes of this      
paragraph3 7,i7 ,average complete       
program standards response time ,the    
term average complete program standards 
response time means the average number  
of days between the ,state receiving a  
complete program standards package by a 
program seeking to be a registered      
apprenticeship program and the ,state   
apprenticeship agency of the ,state     
providing an approval or a denial with  
suggestive action4  7,,ii7 ,average     
incomplete program standards response   
time ,the term average incomplete       
program standards response time means   
the average number of days between the  
,state receiving an incomplete program  
standards package by a program seeking  
to be a registered apprenticeship       
program and the ,state apprenticeship   
agency of the ,state providing a        
response with suggestive action4        
7,,iii7 ,complete program standards     

package2 incomplete program standards   
package ,the terms complete program     
standards package and incomplete program
 standards package have the meanings    
given the terms complete program        
standards and incomplete program        
standards1 respectively1 in section #d  
of the ,act of ,august #af1 #aicg       
7commonly known as the ,national        
,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej ,stat4 #ffd1  
chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ej et      
seq474  7,,iv7 ,suggestive action ,the  
term suggestive action means1 with      
respect to program standards submitted  
by a program to a ,state apprenticeship 
agency to be a registered apprenticeship
 program1 a response by the ,state      
apprenticeship agency to such program   
standards that is not an approval of the
 program standards and provides clear   
instructions to the sponsor of the      
program on how the program standards    
should be changed to conform with the   
requirements for registration as a      
registered apprenticeship program4  7ii7

 ,rules of interpretation  7,i7 ,denial 
without suggestive action ,for purposes 
of determining average complete program 
standards response time1 a denial       
without providing suggestive action     
shall not be interpreted to stop or     
pause the determination4  7,,ii7        
,inquires on registration ,for purposes 
of determining average complete program 
standards response time and average     
incomplete program standards response   
time1 an inquiry by a program to a      
,state apprenticeship agency regarding  
the registration process that does not  
provide program standards documentation 
shall not be considered a submission of 
program standards4  7#d7 ,proportional  
amount of allotted but unawarded funds  
7,a7 ,in general ,not less than #ae days
 before the start of each program year1 
the ,secretary shall1 for purposes of   
paragraph 7#b77;,c71 determine the      
proportional amount1 as relevant1 for   
each ,state that provides a matching    
amount under subsection 7e7 that is     

equal to the amount described in        
paragraph 7#b77;,a7 for the ,state for  
the program year4  7,b7 ,proportional   
amount ,the proportional amount for a   
,state for a program year is an amount  
that bears the same ratio to the amount 
of allotted but unawarded funds for the 
program year as the amount allotted to  
the ,state under the formula established
 under paragraph 7#a7 for the program   
year bears to the total amount of funds 
allotted to all ,states under the       
formula for the program year4  7,c7     
,allotted but unawarded funds ,the      
amount of allotted but unawarded funds  
for the program year is an amount equal 
to the total amount allotted under      
paragraph 7#a7 for the program year     
minus the total amounts determined under
 subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 of         
paragraph 7#b7 for all ,states for the  
program year4  7d7 ,activities ,a ,state
 shall use amounts awarded under        
subsection 7b7 to-- 7#a7 provide        
technical assistance to existing and    

prospective sponsors of registered      
apprenticeship programs2  7#b7 fund the 
training of apprentices1 including by   
paying the wages of an apprentice2  7#c7
 fund outreach activities to increase   
awareness of registered apprenticeship  
programs and provide information on how 
to register an existing training program
 as a registered apprenticeship program2
 and  7#d7 provide financial incentives1
 including through pay-for-performance  
funding models1 to attract employer     
investment in registered apprenticeship 
programs4  7e7 ,notice of matching      
amount by ,states  7#a7 ,in general ,not
 less than #cj days before the start of 
each program year1 a ,state seeking a   
grant under subsection 7b7 shall submit 
a notice to the ,secretary of the amount
 the ,state intends to provide for the  
program year to match the amount        
provided through the grant1 including   
proof of resources for the matching     
amount4  7#b7 ,limit to matching amount 
,the matching amount in a notice under  

paragraph 7#a7 may not be more than half
 of the amount allotted to the ,state   
for the program year under the formula  
established under subsection 7c77#a74   
7f7 ,states without a ,state            
apprenticeship agency ,a ,state that    
does not have a ,state apprenticeship   
agency shall designate an agency of the 
,state government for purposes of       
communications with the ,secretary      
regarding the grant program under this  
section4  7g7 ,authorization of         
appropriation ,there is authorized to be
 appropriated to carry out the grant    
program under this section #aej1jjj1jjj 
for fiscal year #bjbg and for each      
fiscal year thereafter4  7h7 ,supplement
 not supplant ,funds available for use  
under subsection 7d7 shall supplement   
and not supplant other ,state or local  
public funds expended that satisfy the  
activities under such subsection4  #e4  
,posting reciprocity requirements ,the  
,act of ,august #af1 #aicg 7commonly    
known as the ,national ,apprenticeship  

,act2 #ej ,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi
 ,u4,s4,c4 #ej et seq471 as amended by  
sections #b and #c1 is further amended  
by adding at the end of section #d of   
such ,act 7as added by section #b7 the  
following3  7#d7 ,disclosure of         
reciprocity requirements ,each ,state   
apprenticeship agency shall make        
publicly available online the process   
used by the ,state apprenticeship agency
 in the ,state of the agency for        
registering under this ,act an          
apprenticeship program that has been    
otherwise registered under this ,act by 
the ,secretary or another ,state        
apprenticeship agency as a registered   
apprenticeship program in another       
,state4  4  #f4 ,posting ,state         
apprenticeship standards ,the ,act of   
,august #af1 #aicg 7commonly known as   
the ,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej 
,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4
 #ej et seq471 as so amended1 is further
 amended by adding at the end of section
 #d of such ,act 7as added by section   

#b7 the following3  7#e7 ,disclosure of 
,state apprenticeship standards ,each   
,state apprenticeship agency shall make 
publicly available online information1  
as required by the ,secretary1 on       
apprenticeship standards in such ,state1
 including-- 7,a7 ,state minimum wage   
requirements2  7,b7 ,state safety       
standards2 and  7,c7 instructions for   
properly completing documentation for   
proof of compliance with program        
standards pertaining to on-the-job      
training and related technical          
instruction requirements4  4