(a) There is established a Youth Service Corps grant program to be administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development for the purpose of providing grants to municipalities of priority school districts, as described in § 10-266p, to establish local Youth Service Corps programs. Such programs shall provide paid community-based service learning and academic and workforce development programs to youth and young adults in the state in accordance with the provisions of § 32-4s.

(b) Not later than October 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall develop an application process and selection criteria for Youth Service Corps program grants.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall award a grant to each municipality selected to participate in the program in the amount of ten thousand dollars per youth or young adult participating in such municipality’s local Youth Service Corps program plus fifteen per cent of such amount for program administration expenses. Such municipalities may use such grants to (1) administer the local Youth Service Corps program, and (2) award a subgrant of not more than ten thousand dollars to any youth or young adult participating in a local Youth Service Corps program to support or subsidize such youth or young adult’s participation in program activities.

(d) Not later than December 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, each municipality that received a Youth Service Corps program grant shall submit a report evaluating its local Youth Service Corps program to the Commissioners of Economic and Community Development and Children and Families in a form and manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development.

(e) Not later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Children and Families, shall report, in accordance with the provisions of § 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce and children regarding the Youth Service Corps grant program.

(f) There is established an account to be known as the “youth service corps grant program account” which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development for the purposes of providing grants to municipalities of priority school districts, as described in § 10-266p, to establish local Youth Service Corps programs that provide paid community-based service learning and academic and workforce development programs to youth and young adults in the state in accordance with the provisions of § 32-4s.