Labor & Employment (Child Labor)

SB 389 updates Connecticut's youth employment funding system by requiring the Labor Department to distribute state funds to five regional workforce development boards based on each region's percentage of disadvantaged youth, as defined by federal standards and measured using U.S. Department of Labor census data. The bill allocates specific percentages of funds (e.g., 32.5% to Capitol Workforce Partners, 22.5% to The Workforce Alliance) to these regional boards. It also includes a safeguard preventing any single board from losing more than 15% of its annual allocation if census data changes, with other boards' funds adjusted proportionally to maintain this cap. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, directly affecting regional workforce boards serving Connecticut youth.

HB 5173 allocates additional state funding to the Department of Education for youth summer employment programs. The bill directs a specified sum from the General Fund to support these programs during the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This funding would directly support summer job opportunities for young people through existing state-run initiatives.