HR 1446

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 21, 2025

Mr. Allen introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

A BILL

To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to identify or develop assessments to measure the prior knowledge, skills, competencies, and experiences of an individual, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Validate Prior Learning to Accelerate Employment Act”.

SEC. 2. ASSESSMENTS TO MEASURE THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, COMPETENCIES, AND EXPERIENCES OF AN INDIVIDUAL.

(a) Statewide Employment and Training Activities.—Section 134(a)(2)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(a)(2)(B)) is amended—

(1) in clause (v)(VI), by striking “and” at the end;

(2) in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(vii) coordinating with industry organizations, employers (including small and mid-sized employers), training providers, local boards, and institutions of higher education to identify or develop competency-based assessments that are a valid and reliable method of measuring and collecting information on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of individuals who are adults or dislocated workers for the purpose of—

“(I) awarding, based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of such an individual— “(aa) a recognized postsecondary credential that is used by employers in the State for recruitment, hiring, retention, or advancement purposes; or “(bb) credit toward a recognized postsecondary credential aligned with an in- demand industry sector or occupation in the State;

“(II) developing individual employment plans under subsection

(c)(2)(A)(xii)(II) that identify— “(aa) in-demand industry sectors or occupations that require knowledge, skills, and abilities that are similar to the knowledge, skills, and abilities of such an individual to secure employment in such sectors or occupations; and “(bb) any upskilling needed to secure such employment; or

“(III) helping such an individual communicate the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the individual to prospective employers through skills- based resumes, profiles, or portfolios; and

“(viii) disseminating to local areas and employers information relating to the assessments described in clause (vii), including—

“(I) any credential or credit awarded pursuant to items (aa) and (bb) of clause (vii)(I);

“(II) the industry organizations, employers, training providers, and institutions of higher education located within the State that recognize the knowledge, skills, and abilities of such an individual that are validated by such assessments;

“(III) how such assessments may be provided to, and accessed by, such an individual through the one-stop delivery system; and

“(IV) information on how the development of the individual employment plans under subsection

(c)(2)(A)(xii)(II) can include an identification of the information described in items (aa) and (bb) of clause (vii)(III).”.

(b) Allowable Statewide Employment and Training Activities.— Section 134(a)(3)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(a)(3)(A)) is amended—

(1) in clause (xiii), by striking “and” at the end;

(2) in clause (xiv), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(xv) supporting employers in the State seeking to implement skills-based hiring practices to evaluate individuals based on the demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities of such individuals, as an alternative to relying on postsecondary degree requirements in the hiring process, which may include—

“(I) technical assistance on the use and validation of employment assessments, such as the competency- based assessments identified or developed by the State pursuant to paragraph (2)(B)(vii); and

“(II) support in the creation of skills-based job descriptions.”.

(c) Authorized Local Employment and Training Activities.—Section 134(c)(2)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(c)(2)(A)) is amended—

(1) in clause (iii), by inserting before the semicolon the following: “, including a determination (which shall consider factors including prior work experience, military service, education, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations in the local area) of whether such an individual would benefit from a competency-based assessment identified or developed by the State pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(B)(vii) to accelerate the time to obtaining employment that leads to economic self- sufficiency or career advancement”; and

(2) in clause (xii)(I)(aa), by inserting before the semicolon the following: “, including a competency-based assessment identified or developed pursuant to subsection

(a)(2)(B)(vii)”.

(d) Permissible Local Employment and Training Activities.—Section 134(d)(1)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(d)(1)(A)) is amended—

(1) in clause (ix)(II)—

(A) in item (cc), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) in item (dd), by inserting “and” at the end; and

(C) by adding at the end the following: “(ee) technical assistance or other support to employers seeking to implement skills- based hiring practices, which may include technical assistance on the use and validation of employment assessments, including competency-based assessments developed or identified by the State pursuant to subsection

(a)(2)(B)(vii), and support in the creation of skills-based job descriptions.”;

(2) in clause (xi), by striking “and” at the end;

(3) in clause (xii), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(4) by adding at the end the following:

“(xiii) competency-based assessments for individuals upon the initial assessment of skill levels pursuant to subsection

(c)(2)(A)(iii), or upon completion of training services or other learning experiences.”. <all>