SB 389 — AN ACT CONCERNING YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING FUNDS.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

389649 February Session, 2026 LCOSubstitute Senate Bill No.

1704389 ReferredSenate, toApril 15, 2026 The Committee on APPROPRIATIONSAppropriations Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(APP)OSTEN ANof ACTthe CONCERNING19th YOUTHDist., EMPLOYMENTChairperson ANDof TRAININGthe FUNDS.Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING FUNDS.

(a) The Labor Department, within available appropriations, shall establish a program to distribute youth employment and training funds to regional workforce development boards.boards for services to persons ages fourteen to twenty-four.

and (5) ten per cent to the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board] to the regional workforce development boardssSB389 by/ theFile LaborNo. Commissioner based on the percentage of disadvantaged youth, as defined in 29 USC 3162(b)(2), in each workforce development region.

The649 percentage1 ofsSB389 disadvantagedFile youth LCO No.

1704649 1boards ofby 2the RaisedLabor BillCommissioner No.389based on a formula established by the Labor Commissioner, in eachcollaboration with the regional workforce development regionboards, shallthat beutilizes basedavailable ondata, including, but not limited to, (1) the censusnumber dataof students in each workforce development region that are eligible for personsfree definedor asreduced-price lunch, (2) the number of economically disadvantaged youth andin adults,each asworkforce publisheddevelopment region determined by the most recent American Community Survey conducted by United States DepartmentCensus Bureau, and (3) the number of Labor,at- Employmentrisk andstudents, Trainingas Administration,defined orin anysection successor21 data.of public act 24-45, in each workforce development region.

(c) ForThe theLabor fiscalCommissioner, year ending June 30, 2027, and any fiscal year thereafter in whichcollaboration newwith censusthe data is released, if any regional workforce development boardboards, facesmay aupdate reductionthe informula suchestablished board'spursuant allocationoffundspursuant to subsection(b)subsection ofthissectionthat(b) exceedsof fifteenthis persection centin oforder theto priorreflect fiscalcurrent year'sconditions allocation,in the allocation for the other regional workforce development boardsregions. shall be reduced proportionately so that the reduction for such board's allocation may not exceed fifteen per cent.

Section 1 July 1, 2026 Section 1 31-3mm StatementAPP ofJoint Purpose:Favorable Subst.

TosSB389 update/ theFile allocationNo. of the Connecticut Youth Employment Program funds.

[Proposed649 deletions2 aresSB389 enclosedFile inNo. brackets.

Proposed649 additionsThe arefollowing indicatedFiscal byImpact underline,Statement exceptand underlined.]eBill entireAnalysis textare prepared for the benefit of athe billmembers orof resolutionthe orGeneral aAssembly, sectionsolely offor apurposes billof orinformation, resolutionsummarization isand new,explanation itand isdo not LCOrepresent No.the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

1704In 2general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of 2informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill modifies the allocation formula for the CT Youth Employment Program from a currently established fixed percentage for eachofthefiveWorkforceDevelopmentBoardstoaformulaestablished by the Labor Commissioner.

This new formula includes the number of (1) students that are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, (2) economically disadvantaged youth, and (3) at-risk students .

The 1 General Fund supports this program annually through the Department of Labor.

This change does not result in any fiscal impact to the state.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None 1“At-risk student" means a student who is enrolled in high school and is in danger of not graduating.

2PA 25-168, the FY 26 and FY 27 Budget, appropriates $10.3 million for this program in FY 27.

sSB389 / File No.

649 3 sSB389 File No.

649 OFA Bill Analysis sSB 389 AN ACT CONCERNING YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING FUNDS.

SUMMARY:

This bill changes the methodology the Department of Labor uses to distribute Connecticut Youth Employment Program funds to the state’s five regional workforce development boards (WDBs), and it clarifies the program services persons aged fourteen to twenty-four.

Current law dictates fixed statutory percentages for each board.

The bill replaces these fixed allocations with a formula established by the Labor Commissioner, in collaboration withthe regional WDBs, utilizing datathatincludes(1)thenumberofstudentseligibleforfreeorreduced- price lunch, (2) the number of economically disadvantaged youth, and (3) the number of at-risk students (not enrolled in high school and in danger of not graduating.) EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2026 COMMITTEE ACTION Appropriations Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 51 Nay 0 Absent 0 sSB389 / File No.

649 4