Article 14. Neighborhood Improvement and Youth Employment

44-1401. Citation of act.

K.S.A. 44-1401 through 44-1408 and amendments thereto shall be known and may be cited as the neighborhood improvement and youth employment act.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 1; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 1; May 23.

44-1402. Grants for youth employment.

In accordance with appropriation acts, the secretary of commerce shall provide grants to eligible administrative entities, as described in K.S.A. 44-1403, and amendments thereto, for the purpose of establishing and carrying out programs that provide employment opportunities during the summer months and after school to individuals through payments for labor and related costs associated with the repair, maintenance and renovation of essential community facilities and for labor and related costs associated with assisting with community services and working with low-income senior citizens. In the alternative, if the eligible entity is a private business, such entity may provide employment opportunities that would provide the youth with meaningful and valuable work experiences other than such community services and assistance. Such private business shall specifically stipulate in the grant application what would be such work experience.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 2; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 2; L. 1998, ch. 73, Section 1; L. 2004, ch. 179, Section 85; July 1.

44-1403. Same; eligible entity defined; private businesses, additional requirement.

For purposes of this act, "eligible entity" means:

(a) A unit of local government, a nonprofit private organization, a native American Indian tribe, or private business which agrees to perform the following:

(1) Submit a plan to provide summer and after school employment opportunities for qualified youth;

(2) assign an officer or employee of the entity or a tribal or organization member to serve as a mentor or advisor to each youth employed by the entity pursuant to this act; and

(3) abide by such guidelines as may be required by the secretary.

(b) A private business must further agree to pay at least 50% of the wages and related fringe benefits of the youths it employs pursuant to this act.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 3; Revived, L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 3; May 23.

44-1404. Same; required uses of grants; limitation on costs of administering and acquiring equipment.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the secretary may not make a grant under K.S.A. 44-1402 and amendments thereto to an eligible entity, other than a private business, unless the entity agrees that such entity will use all amounts received from such grant to establish and carry out a program to provide wages and related employment benefits to eligible individuals described in subsections (a) and (b) of K.S.A. 44-1405 and amendments thereto for the purpose of employing such individuals to repair, maintain or renovate essential community facilities that are located within the eligible jurisdiction that the entity serves.

(b) Not more than 10% of amounts received from a grant under K.S.A. 44-1402 and amendments thereto for any fiscal year may be used for the cost of administration and the acquisition of supplies, tools and other equipment.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 4; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 4; May 23.

44-1405. Same; school attendance and income eligibility guidelines.

An individual shall be eligible to participate in a program described in subsection (a) of K.S.A. 44-1404, and amendments thereto, only if the individual is attending school and of legal age to be employed and meets the income eligibility guidelines established by the secretary of commerce.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 5; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 5; L. 1998, ch. 73, Section 2; L. 2004, ch. 179, Section 86; July 1.

44-1406. Discrimination prohibited.

No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in the administration of or in connection with any program described in subsection (a) of K.S.A. 44-1404 and amendments thereto because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation or belief.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 6; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 6; May 23.

44-1407. Maintenance of expenditure level by nonbusiness entities.

The secretary may not make a grant under K.S.A. 44-1402 and amendments thereto to an eligible entity, except a private business, unless the entity agrees that it will maintain its aggregate expenditures from all other sources for employing individuals to repair, maintain or renovate essential community facilities at or above the average level of such expenditures in the two fiscal years preceding the date on which the entity submits an application under K.S.A. 44-1403 and amendments thereto to the secretary.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 7; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 7; May 23.

44-1408. Report of activities to legislature.

The secretary shall annually submit a report to the house new economy committee and the senate commerce committee detailing the manner in which funds were spent pursuant to K.S.A. 44-1401, et seq., and amendment thereto. Such report shall include the nature of the work performed by participating youths, the percentage of funds expended for administrative expenses, findings on the educational, criminal and occupational disposition of participating youths and an evaluation of the program as a whole including a recommendation concerning continuation of the program. The report to the house new economy committee and the senate commerce committee under this section shall be made by the secretary either (a) by publishing such report on the internet and by notifying each member of the committee that the report is available and providing, as part of such notice, the uniform resource locator (URL) at which such report is available, or (b) by submitting copies of such report on CD-ROM or other electronically readable media to such committees.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 8; Revived and amend., L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 8; L. 1998, ch. 73, Section 3; L. 2002, ch. 151, Section 1; July 1.

44-1409. Guidelines, adoption by secretary of commerce.

The secretary of commerce may adopt guidelines to effectuate the purpose of this act, however, such guidelines shall not be considered rules and regulations as defined in K.S.A. 77-415 and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1994, ch. 264, Section 9; Revived, L. 1996, ch. 245, Section 9; L. 2004, ch. 179, Section 87; July 1.