72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 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 1853
Senate Bill 359
Sponsored by Senator DECKERT, Representative BUTLER (at the
request of Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic
Development)
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.
Directs Department of Community Colleges and Workforce
Development to develop and implement integrated statewide
workforce strategy.
Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Department of
Community Colleges and Workforce Development for purpose of
developing and implementing integrated statewide workforce
strategy.
Requires State Workforce Investment Board to ensure federal and
state grants and programs are adequately used for workforce
development.
Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2003.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to development of Oregon's workforce; creating new
provisions; amending ORS 660.324; appropriating money; and
declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. { + (1) During the biennium beginning July 1, 2003,
the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development,
in consultation with the Department of Education, the Oregon
University System and representatives of industries of this
state, shall develop an integrated statewide workforce strategy
for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a highly skilled
and well-educated workforce. The Department of Community Colleges
and Workforce Development shall identify in the integrated
statewide workforce strategy:
(a) The occupations and skills that are critical to the
competitiveness of the economy of this state;
(b) Education and workforce development programs that are
required to establish and maintain a highly skilled and
well-educated workforce;
(c) The resources needed to provide adequate education and
workforce development programs; and
(d) Rules and policies for community colleges and state
institutions of higher education that will:
(A) Promote the skills and knowledge of the workforce;
(B) Increase the accessibility of educational resources through
distance education programs;
(C) Minimize curriculum redundancy among community colleges and
state institutions of higher education; and
(D) Make accredited courses fully transferable among community
colleges and state institutions of higher education.
(2) During the biennium beginning July 1, 2003, the Department
of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, the Department
of Education and the Oregon University System shall implement the
integrated statewide workforce strategy developed under
subsection (1) of this section. + }
SECTION 2. { + There is appropriated to the Department of
Community Colleges and Workforce Development, for the biennium
beginning July 1, 2003, out of the General Fund, the amount of
$500,000 for the purpose of funding the development and
implementation of an integrated statewide workforce strategy
under section 1 of this 2003 Act. + }
SECTION 3. ORS 660.324 is amended to read:
660.324. (1) The State Workforce Investment Board shall develop
and submit to the Governor a single, unified state plan that
outlines a five-year strategy, with quantitative goals, for the
statewide workforce investment system for the State of Oregon in
accordance with section 2821 of the federal Workforce Investment
Act of 1998. Upon the Governor's approval of the state plan, the
Governor shall cause the State Unified Workforce Plan to be
delivered to the Legislative Assembly.
(2) The board shall develop and include in the state plan goals
designed to promote Oregonians' self-sufficiency. In addition to
requirements under the federal Act regarding wage and other
goals, the state plan shall include quantifiable goals that will
empower Oregonians to gain independence from public assistance
and move up the socioeconomic ladder.
(3) The board shall assist the Governor in:
(a) Developing Oregon's workforce investment system;
(b) Ensuring timely consultation and collaboration with chief
elected officials, local workforce investment boards and other
workforce stakeholders, including but not limited to business and
labor organizations;
(c) Reviewing local workforce plans;
(d) Developing, as required by the federal Act, allocation
formulas for the distribution of funds to local workforce
investment areas for adult employment and training activities and
for youth activities that are developed by the local workforce
investment boards;
(e) Recommending the duties and responsibilities of state
agencies to implement the federal Act, to avoid conflicts of
interest and to capitalize on the experience developed by
workforce partners who are efficient and effective at meeting the
requirements of the federal Act;
(f) Participating in the development of a coordinated statewide
system of activities and services that includes both mandatory
and optional partners of the one-stop delivery system, as
provided in the federal Act;
(g) Providing for the development, accountability and
continuous improvement of comprehensive workforce performance
measures to assess the effectiveness of the workforce investment
activities in this state;
(h) Developing a statewide employment statistics system, as
described in section 15(e) of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C.
49L-2(e)); { - and - }
(i) Preparing an annual report and submitting it to the United
States Department of Education, the United States Department of
Health and Human Services and the United States Department of
Labor { + ; and
(j) Ensuring that federal and state grants and programs are
adequately used for workforce development by addressing the
technological and educational needs of the current workforce in
this state, by building a qualified base of workers in the short
term and the long term to fill positions in critical occupations
and by integrating technology workforce issues of the major
industries in this state + }.
(4) The board, in partnership with the Governor, shall
establish criteria for use by chief elected officials in
appointing members to local workforce investment boards in
accordance with the requirements of section 2832 of the federal
Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The board shall establish the
following requirements:
(a) To transact business at a meeting of a local workforce
investment board, a quorum of members must participate. A quorum
shall consist of a majority of the members. At least 25 percent
of the members participating must be representatives of business
described in ORS 660.321 (2)(c)(A).
(b) When appropriate and upon a request from the chief elected
official of a county or the City of Portland, the State Workforce
Investment Board shall consider the county or the City of
Portland to be a candidate for designation as a local workforce
investment area. The board shall consult with the county or the
City of Portland before designating it as a local workforce
investment area. After considering the criteria in section 2831
of the federal Act for designating local workforce investment
areas, chief elected officials may submit a request to the board
to combine their units of government into a local workforce
investment area. The board shall make recommendations to the
Governor about the designation of local workforce investment
areas. Only the Governor may designate local workforce investment
areas. The Governor must show just cause for not designating a
requested local workforce investment area. A county or the City
of Portland may submit an appeal to the board, as provided in
section 2831 of the federal Act, if the Governor does not grant
the county's or the city's request to designate a local workforce
investment area.
(5) The board shall provide guidance and direction to local
workforce investment boards in the development of local workforce
plans. The State Workforce Investment Board shall adopt policies
that:
(a) Require each local workforce investment board, in
partnership with its chief elected officials and in accordance
with section 2833 of the federal Act, to develop and submit to
the Governor and the board a strategic five-year local workforce
plan that includes, but is not limited to, performance goals; and
(b) Permit each local workforce investment board, in
consultation with its chief elected officials:
(A) To determine, consistent with the requirements of the
federal Act, the appropriate level of services based on the
workforce needs in the local workforce investment area; and
(B) To certify local one-stop operators.
SECTION 4. { + This 2003 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2003 Act takes effect July 1,
2003. + }
----------