Registered Apprenticeship Investments for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act

SB 431, the Registered Apprenticeship Investments for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act, creates new programs to expand apprenticeships in Maryland. It allows the State Board of Plumbing to waive journey plumber license exams for those completing approved apprenticeships and authorizes the Secretary of Labor to waive exams for other licenses after approved training. The bill establishes the Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Pay Per Apprentice Program, which provides payments to employers for each apprentice they train, funded by a new nonlapsing special fund. These changes directly affect apprentices, employers offering training, and licensing boards by reducing barriers to entry and incentivizing employer participation in registered apprenticeship programs.