Originally published in the Northfield News
One of the most rewarding aspects of my time as a legislator has been working on solutions that benefit all Minnesotans. In our current political climate, it seems that unanimous consensus is rarely found. However, this past Wednesday was one of those rare instances.
I had the opportunity to present on the Minnesota Senate floor legislation I authored that would simplify the Minnesota job training program grant to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
The job training grant program was initially established 20 years ago to fund organizations statewide that help provide full-time, long-term employment to individuals living in poverty. At the time, Minnesota was one of the first states in the nation to establish such a program.
However, as the years went on, changes were needed to the program to make it more effective for job training organizations operating today, including targeting the people who need it most. In working with job training groups across the state, specifically Twin Cities R!SE, we developed commonsense changes and reforms to make the grant program more successful.
This innovative program is unique in that the grant is pay-for-performance, meaning the organization only receives state funding after an individual achieves stable employment. This structure allows for the state to receive $7 back for every $1 invested in the program. Therefore, not only do individuals living in poverty find meaningful long-time employment from this grant, but every Minnesota taxpayer benefits. That is truly a win-win for all.
The bill passed the Minnesota Senate unanimously on a 66-0 vote. The next step in the legislative process is for the Minnesota House to act, before heading to Gov. Mark Dayton for his signature. While unanimous agreement is rare, I will continue to work on legislative issues that go beyond traditional partisan lines and benefit all Minnesotans.
Sen. Rich Draheim, R-Madison Lake, represents District 20 in the Minnesota Senate. Reach him at sen.rich.draheim@senate.mn.