74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 877
 
                         House Bill 2246
 
Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
  Presession filed (at the request of Governor Theodore R.
  Kulongoski for Oregon Student Assistance Commission)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Requires Department of Human Services to transfer JOBS Plus
participant's Oregon JOBS Individual Education Account to Oregon
Student Assistance Commission to provide education assistance to
participant after participant leaves JOBS Plus Program.
  Requires commission to establish scholarship fund for current
or former JOBS Plus Program participants using education account
funds that are unobligated five years after participant leaves
JOBS Plus Program.
  Requires commission to provide annual financial aid information
to JOBS Plus Program participants.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to education aid for JOBS Plus Program participants;
  amending ORS 411.894.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. ORS 411.894 is amended to read:
  411.894. (1) The Oregon JOBS Individual Education Account is
established to improve the position of JOBS Plus participants in
the workforce by increasing their access to continuing education.
Employer contributions to the account under this section shall be
used to pay for education expenses for the individual as provided
in subsection (2) of this section.
  (2)(a) After the participant has participated in the JOBS Plus
Program for 30 days, the employer shall pay, in addition to the
participant wage, one dollar for each participant hour worked
into the participant's individual education account.
Contributions to such an account shall be tax deferred or
tax-exempt to the extent permitted by federal and state law.
  (b) Any participant for whom an Oregon JOBS Individual
Education Account contribution is made shall be eligible for
access to education benefits from that participant's individual
education account for up to five years after the participant has
left the JOBS Plus Program and has held a full-time, unsubsidized
job for at least 30 days.
  (c)   { - When any participant has qualified for use of that
participant's individual education account, an amount equal to
that participant's individual education account balance - }
 { + If a JOBS Plus Program participant's individual education
account has a balance remaining when the participant leaves the
program, the Department of Human Services must transfer the
account + }   { - shall be transferred - }  to the Oregon Student
Assistance Commission for that participant's use. Only one
individual education account shall be created for any
participant. Each account shall be administered by the
 { - Oregon Student Assistance - }  commission and shall be used
for continuing education and training for the participant and the
participant's immediate family.
  (3)(a) The   { - Oregon Student Assistance - }  commission may
use any interest earned by an individual education account
transferred to the commission under this section for payment of
expenses incurred by the commission in carrying out its duties
under this section.
  (b) The department   { - of Human Services - }  shall transfer
any interest earned by the Oregon JOBS Individual Education
Account to the General Fund for general governmental purposes.
The department shall transfer the interest no later than the
close of each fiscal year in which the interest is earned.
  (4)  { + The commission shall establish a scholarship fund for
current or former JOBS Plus Program participants using  + }any
unexpended or unobligated moneys remaining in   { - an - }  { +
a participant's + } individual education account five years after
the participant has left the   { - JOBS Plus - }  program
 { - are appropriated and transferred to the Oregon Opportunity
Grant Fund on that date - } .
   { +  (5) The commission must provide financial aid information
annually to each current JOBS Plus Program participant to assist
the participant in accessing post-secondary educational
opportunities. + }
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