Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has introduced two new pieces of legislation aimed at expanding apprenticeships, which could be used by long-term care owners/operators to help boost the ranks of workers in the profession.

Cassidy is chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

ADVICE

The Apprenticeship Data Value Improvements to Create Employment (ADVICE) Act would establish a committee to provide guidance on data standardization and integration for apprenticeship programs, ensuring consistent and actionable information across states and sponsors.

The bill would also allow program sponsors to track and analyze apprenticeship outcomes, including wages, retention rates, and completion metrics, which helps identify best practices and improve program effectiveness, Cassidy said.

START

The senator’s second bill, called the Streamlining Timely Apprenticeship Registration and Transparency (START) Act seeks to shorten timelines for registering new apprenticeship programs.

States or the Labor Dept. would be required to identify clerical issues within 30 days of a program submission and make a final decision about the program within 90 days. 

GAO

Lastly, Cassidy asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on removing barriers to create new apprenticeship programs. Find his request here.

Comments or questions? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.