HF 1850

1st Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 01:55am

A bill for an act
relating to workforce development; amending local workforce council
representative requirements; establishing collaborative local projects;
coordinating employment training and education services; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2008, section 116L.666, subdivision 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 116L.666, subdivision 3, is amended to
read:

Subd. 3.

Membership on local workforce councils.

In workforce service areas
representing only one home rule charter or statutory city or a county, the chief elected
official must appoint members to the council. In workforce service areas representing two
or more home rule charter or statutory cities or counties, the chief elected officials of the
home rule charter or statutory cities or counties must appoint members to the council, in
accordance with an agreement entered into by such units of general local government.

A council shall include as members:

(1) representatives of the private sector, who must constitute a majority of the
membership of the council and who are owners of business concerns, chief executives or
chief operating officers of nongovernmental employers, or other private sector executives
who have substantial management or policy responsibility;

(2) at least two representatives of organized labor;

(3) representatives of the area workforce and community-based organizations, who
shall constitute not less than 15 percent of the membership of the council; and

(4) representatives of each of the following:

(i) educational agencies that are representative of all educational agencies within the
workforce service area;

(ii) vocational rehabilitation agencies;

(iii) public assistance agencies;

(iv) economic development agencies; and

(v) public employment service agencies.

The chair of each local workforce council shall be selected from among the members
of the council who are representatives of the private sector.

Private sector representatives on the local workforce council shall be selected from
among individuals nominated by general purpose business organizations, such as local
chambers of commerce, in the workforce service area.

Education representatives on the local workforce council new text begin must include at least
one representative from a local adult basic education program approved under section
124D.52 and the remaining education representatives new text end shall be selected from among
individuals nominated by secondary and postsecondary educational institutions within the
workforce service area.

Organized labor representatives on the local workforce council shall be selected from
individuals recommended by recognized state and local labor federations, organizations,
or councils. If the state or local labor federations, organizations, or councils fail to
nominate a sufficient number of individuals to meet the labor representation requirements,
individual workers may be included on the local workforce council to complete the labor
representation.

The commissioner must certify a local workforce council if the commissioner
determines that its composition and appointments are consistent with this subdivision.

Sec. 2. new text begin COLLABORATIVE LOCAL PROJECTS; COORDINATION OF
EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING, AND EDUCATION SERVICES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Collaborative local projects; selection. new text end

new text begin The governor's Workforce
Development Council shall convene a meeting with representatives of the Department
of Employment and Economic Development, the Department of Human Services, the
Department of Education with respect to K-12 institutions and adult basic education, the
University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to identify
and establish four collaborative local projects to plan and coordinate employment, training,
and education programs and services administered by those agencies and institutions. By
August 1, 2009, the local projects must be selected to represent different configurations
of workforce centers, college campuses, and adult basic education programs. Three of
the local projects must be located in a workforce services area under Minnesota Statutes,
section 116L.666, as follows: one that is an urban area; one in a greater Minnesota
regional center; and one in a rural area. At least one of these local projects must include a
workforce center located on a campus of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Each local project selected under this subdivision must be assigned to a local workforce
council to develop a collaboration plan under subdivision 3.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Employment, training, and education goals. new text end

new text begin The goals of the
collaborative local employment, training, and education projects include, but are not
limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) engaging low-skilled workers in increasing their skill levels;
new text end

new text begin (2) providing skill training while upgrading basic skill levels;
new text end

new text begin (3) improving the provision of skill training to individuals currently working;
new text end

new text begin (4) integrating employer contact efforts to improve responsiveness to employer's
needs;
new text end

new text begin (5) strengthening employer input with training curriculum;
new text end

new text begin (6) improving access to service and training to public assistance recipients;
new text end

new text begin (7) integrating career planning and job placement efforts among institutions;
new text end

new text begin (8) maximizing coordination and reducing duplication among providers;
new text end

new text begin (9) systematically evaluating industry training needs; and
new text end

new text begin (10) providing noncredit remediation at no cost to students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Collaboration plan. new text end

new text begin A local workforce council assigned a project under
this section must develop a plan on how employment, training, and education services
offered by the state agencies and institutions can be collaboratively offered to attain the
goals of subdivision 2. The collaboration plan must be developed through a stakeholder
process that includes, at a minimum, representatives from:
new text end

new text begin (1) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities;
new text end

new text begin (2) local adult basic education;
new text end

new text begin (3) workforce centers;
new text end

new text begin (4) local school districts;
new text end

new text begin (5) community action agencies; and
new text end

new text begin (6) public housing agencies.
new text end

new text begin Each local project must report their plans to the governor's workforce development
council which must report on the plans to the committees of the legislature with
responsibility for workforce development by March 15, 2010. The report must include
each local project plan with recommendations on state agency and higher education
programs and services that should be integrated into a local project. The report may also
include recommendations on necessary enhancements and improvements of services and
processes, and identification of private and public funding, waivers, and other program
modifications necessary to better achieve the goals of subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Plan implementation. new text end

new text begin By July 1, 2010, each local collaborative project
must implement its plan for at least one year. Local collaborators, including the agencies
listed in subdivision 3, may modify a plan if the modification would better achieve plan
goals.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Second report to legislature. new text end

new text begin By February 15, 2011, each local project
must report to the governor's workforce development council on progress in implementing
the plan. By March 11, 2011, the governor's workforce development council must report to
the committees of the legislature responsible for workforce development on the progress
of implementing plans under this section. The report must include recommendations
on funding, system design, and statutory changes that are reasonable and necessary to
achieve the goals of subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end