Florida Senate - 2022 SB 1512
By Senator Powell
30-01586-22 20221512__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Summer Youth Service Learning
3 Program; providing a short title; creating s. 446.046,
4 F.S.; creating the program within the Department of
5 Education; providing the purpose of the program;
6 providing eligibility requirements for students and
7 employers to participate in the program; requiring and
8 authorizing specified entities to participate in the
9 program; requiring the department to create a
10 statewide employment hub for the program; requiring
11 participating employers to post employment
12 opportunities to the employment hub; requiring school
13 districts and public postsecondary institutions to
14 notify students of the employment hub; providing
15 requirements for the employment hub; authorizing
16 employers to provide students with a bus pass for a
17 specified time period under certain circumstances;
18 requiring participating employers to provide
19 participating students with an accurate letter of
20 recommendation; providing for implementation of the
21 program; requiring the State Board of Education to
22 adopt rules; providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Youth Service
27 Learning and Employment Assistance Initiative Act.”
28 Section 2. Section 446.046, Florida Statutes, is created to
29 read:
30 446.046 Summer Youth Service Learning Program.—
31 (1) PURPOSE.—The Summer Youth Service Learning Program is
32 created within the department to match low-income and moderate
33 income students who have outstanding academic records or trade
34 skills with appropriate summer employment opportunities at state
35 agencies, school districts, local governments, and participating
36 private businesses that will prepare participating students for
37 entering the workforce as adults. Such summer employment
38 opportunities shall be funded by the Legislature and shall
39 enable students to gain meaningful work experience and exposure
40 to exciting career industries; to interact with working
41 professionals in a positive environment; and to learn and
42 develop skills, attitudes, and the necessary commitment to
43 succeed in today’s world of work.
44 (2) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to participate in
45 the program, a student must:
46 (a) Be between the ages of 14 and 22, inclusive.
47 (b) Be enrolled in a secondary school or postsecondary
48 educational institution within this state.
49 (c) Be in good academic standing, as established by the
50 State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (8).
51 (d) Be responsible for his or her own transportation to and
52 from his or her employment through the program unless provided a
53 bus pass as provided in subsection (5).
54 (e) Meet any other criteria established by the state board.
55 (3) PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS.—Each state agency and district
56 school board shall, and local governments and local private
57 businesses may, participate in the program. To provide summer
58 employment opportunities to students pursuant to this section, a
59 participating employer must:
60 (a) Comply with chapter 448, part I of chapter 450, and all
61 applicable federal laws and regulations.
62 (b) Post any summer employment opportunities for
63 participating students on the department’s employment hub
64 pursuant to subsection (4).
65 (c) Meet any other requirements established by the state
66 board.
67 (4) EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND EMPLOYMENT HUB.—
68 (a) The department shall create a statewide employment hub
69 website for the posting of summer employment opportunities
70 available to students through the program. Participating
71 employers shall post available summer employment opportunities
72 to the employment hub. Each school district and public
73 postsecondary institution shall notify students of the
74 availability of the employment hub. The employment hub must
75 include:
76 1. A mechanism for students to search for summer employment
77 opportunities in their respective areas. Such mechanism must
78 allow students to search by both geographic area and job
79 responsibilities.
80 2. Information about the requirements for each job,
81 including any necessary qualifications.
82 3. An online application for students to complete for
83 employment opportunities available through the program.
84 (b) Summer employment opportunities available through the
85 program must focus on developing trade skills or work experience
86 that will assist a student to gain full-time employment upon
87 completing his or her education.
88 (5) TRANSPORTATION FOR PARTICIPATING STUDENTS.—A
89 participating employer under this section, upon request of an
90 employed student, may provide him or her with a bus pass that is
91 good for the duration of the student’s summer employment to
92 assist the student with work-related transportation.
93 (6) LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION.—Each participating employer
94 must provide a participating student with a letter of
95 recommendation at the end of his or her summer employment. The
96 letter of recommendation must be an honest and accurate
97 recounting of the student’s performance in the program.
98 (7) FUNDING.—This program shall be implemented to the
99 extent that funding is made available in the General
100 Appropriations Act.
101 (8) RULES.—The state board shall adopt rules to administer
102 the program. Such rules must include, at a minimum, criteria
103 for:
104 (a) Student eligibility and academic standards for
105 participation in the program.
106 (b) The participation of private businesses in the program.
107 (c) Summer employment opportunities available through the
108 program.
109 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.