FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5992

                          C 130 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Clarifying the role of the work force training and education coordinating board.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senators Bauer, Pelz, Wood, Prince, Kohl, Deccio, Heavey and Rasmussen).

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:  In 1991, the Legislature created the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and charged it with making the state's workforce education and training system better coordinated, more efficient, more responsive to the needs of business and workers, and more accountable for its performance.  The coordinating board's authorizing statute directs it to develop and maintain a comprehensive plan for workforce training, require a minimum of core data and establish minimum standards for program evaluation by the operating agencies of the state training system, and perform outcome-based, net-impact, and cost-benefit evaluations of the system as a whole.

The board's comprehensive plan was released last fall.  The board's authorizing statute does not require legislative action approving its comprehensive plan and sets no deadlines for its evaluation functions.

In 1992, Congress amended the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to authorize each state to have a Human Resource Investment Council (HRIC) to carry out coordination functions, similar to the requirements of the board.  Governor Gardner responded with a designation of the board as the HRIC, even though its composition is slightly different from that  outlined in the JTPA amendment.  There is no statutory requirement that the board act as the HRIC.

Summary:  The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board is required to report annually to the Legislature regarding progress towards implementing the state comprehensive plan for workforce training and education.  The board's comprehensive plan must be updated every two years and submitted to the Legislature for approval.  The operating agencies represented on the board develop operating plans for their workforce development efforts that comply with the comprehensive plan and report yearly to the board on their progress under the plan.

The board performs the functions of the Human Resource Investment Council and advises the Governor and Legislature on integrating federal and state workforce development efforts.  The Legislature intends to seek broad input on the allocation of any federal block granted funds.

Deadlines are established for:  (1) notifying operating agencies on common data and minimum evaluation standards required of them; (2) programmatic and systemwide evaluations; (3) an assessment of supply and demand for training services accompanied by recommendations on how to bridge any gap between the supply and the demand; and (4) identifying barriers and making recommendations regarding the seamless delivery of workforce development services.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    42 0

House     96 1 (House amended)

Senate    46 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 23, 1995