Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes the Education Initiative for Former Casino Workers to provide workplace training and readiness programs.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Education Initiative for Former Casino Workers for “eligible participants” (Secs. 1 & 2).

• Defines “eligible participants” as individuals who are employed by a casino and have received notice of an impending lay off within the following 60 days, or are former employees of a casino who have been laid off, furloughed, or separated from employment by the casino in the previous 2 years (Sec 2).

• Appropriates 5 percent of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund’s annual budget for the initiative (Sec. 1).

• Requires the initiative to accept new eligible participants for 3 years from the effective date of this bill or until the average unemployment rate in Atlantic county is less than 5 percent for 3 consecutive months (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that an eligible participant will be provided with financial assistance, training, and education for no longer than 4 years from the date the participant enrolled in the initiative (Sec. 2).

• Requires the initiative’s administration to provide certain services including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 2):
• Eligible participants will be screened for career readiness and provided a plan to access the training and educational resources;
• Eligible participants will have the option to enroll in training and educational instruction at a county college located in the state;
• Eligible participants will have the option to enroll in post-secondary education programs offered by a county vocational school district; and
• Eligible participants will be provided with financial assistance to complete the training and educational instruction available through the initiative.

• Requires the initiative’s administration to establish a list of acceptable costs that will be funded including, but not limited to, the following costs (Sec. 2):
• The cost of tuition for county college classes, or other enrollment fees for post-secondary education at a county vocational school district;
• The cost of books; and
• The cost of transportation.

Full Bill Text