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SB 1145 - This act creates the "Guard at Home" program to assist families of members who have been deployed for active duty with financial and employment needs, and to assist returned guard members with employment and training needs so that they may reenter the workforce. The Department of Economic Development will enter into a contract with a qualified provider, as provided in this act, to implement the program. The provider shall be an accredited community-based not for profit agency with experience in job training and social services to veterans and veterans organizations, that is able to provide certain matching funds to the program, and that has a substantial presence and experience in certain areas of the state. Eligible families will be those in which the primary income-earner was called to active duty for more than four months, and who suffer financial hardships due to a lack of outside resources. Services under the program may include various forms of financial assistance, vocational evaluations, counseling and training, paid internships or subsidized employment, and other job placement assistance. The department shall make efforts to ensure the program is servicing at least 100 families in the specified areas by August 1, 2006, and shall prepare a report on the progress of the program by January 1, 2007. General sunset provisions shall apply to this new program. This act has an emergency clause which states it will go into effect on July 1, 2006. ALEXA PEARSON
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