03/05/2024
March 5, 2024 Labor Commerce Committee, HB 5385
Public Hearing Testimony of
Danté Bartolomeo
Commissioner
Department of Labor
Labor and Public Employees Committee
March 5, 2024
Good Morning Senator Kushner, Representative Sanchez, Senator Sampson, Representative Weir and members of the Labor and Public Employees Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with written testimony regarding HB 5385: AN ACT STUDYING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FULL EMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND. My name is Danté Bartolomeo, and I am the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor.
HB 5385 requires the Labor Commissioner to conduct a study regarding the establishment of a full employment trust fund to be administered by the Labor Department. The fund is for the awarding of employment opportunity grants to public and nonprofit entities for the purpose of creating employment opportunities and job-training programs. This study must include (1) an examination of existing programs that provide employment opportunities and job training, and which programs may be eligible to receive grant awards from the fund, and (2) the feasibility of using such fund for workforce housing, employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth and work-study opportunities for secondary and post-secondary students.
While the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) is a foundational partner in CT’s workforce development system, including the administration of several federal and state workforce programs, the agency is not the clearinghouse for all programs that provide employment opportunities and job training. Additionally, the agency does not currently have the capacity to conduct such a study, nor does it employ workforce housing subject matter experts.
I welcome the opportunity to work with the proponents of the bill to better understand their intent. Thank you for the opportunity to provide the Committee with this written testimony. My staff and I are available to answer any questions that you may have regarding HB 5385.
Connecticut Department of Labor • www.ct.gov/dol
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer