BILL REQ. #:  H-3997.2 

Prefiled 01/08/10. Read first time 01/11/10.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to creating the opportunity express program; amending RCW 28C.04.390; adding new sections to chapter 28B.50 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that in times of severe economic recession, the state has a special obligation to help unemployed and low-income citizens access the training and education necessary to help them find and keep living wage jobs. The legislature also finds that during times of recession, when state revenues are at their lowest, demand for education and training are at their highest, making it especially important for the legislature to set clear goals and make the most efficient use of limited state resources.
     The legislature therefore intends to expand training and education programs, which have proven to be successful, to ensure that Washington citizens can get the training they need. These programs include the worker retraining program, the opportunity grant program, and the opportunity internship program. The legislature further intends to create more effective intake and outreach systems to reach the greatest number of citizens and connect them to the resources they need.

Sec. 2   RCW 28C.04.390 and 1999 c 121 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The college board worker retraining program funds shall be used for training programs and related support services, including financial aid, counseling, referral to training resources, job referral, and job development that:
     (a) Are consistent with the unified plan for workforce development;
     (b) Provide increased enrollments for dislocated workers;
     (c) Provide customized training opportunities for dislocated workers; and
     (d) Provide increased enrollments and support services, including financial aid for those students not receiving unemployment insurance benefits, that do not replace or supplant any existing enrollments, programs, support services, or funding sources.
     (2) The college board shall develop a plan for use of the worker retraining program funds in conjunction with the workforce training customer advisory committee established in subsection (3) of this section. In developing the plan the college board shall:
     (a) Provide that applicants for worker retraining program funds shall solicit financial support for training programs and give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants which are most successful in matching public dollars with financial support;
     (b) Provide that applicants for worker retraining program funds shall develop training programs in partnership with local businesses, industry associations, labor, and other partners as appropriate and give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants who develop customized training programs in partnership with local businesses, industry associations, and labor organizations;
     (c) Give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants serving rural areas;
     (d) Ensure that applicants receiving worker retraining program funds gather information from local workforce development councils on employer workforce needs, including the needs of businesses with less than twenty-five employees; ((and))
     (e) Provide for specialized vocational training at a private career school or college at the request of a recipient eligible under subsection (1)(b) of this section. Available tuition for the training is limited to the amount that would otherwise be payable per enrolled quarter to a public institution; and
     (f) Give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants serving the aerospace, healthcare, high technology manufacturing, or renewable energy industries. The local partnerships established in subsection (5) of this section may prioritize additional programs of study for receipt of funds, if those programs are linked to industries that are part of the overall economic development strategy of the college's region.
     (3) The executive director of the college board shall appoint a workforce training customer advisory committee by July 1, 1999, to:
     (a) Assist in the development of the plan for the use of the college board worker retraining program funds and recommend guidelines to the college board for the operation of worker retraining programs;
     (b) Recommend selection criteria for worker retraining programs and grant applicants for receipt of worker retraining program grants;
     (c) Provide advice to the college board on other workforce development activities of the community and technical colleges;
     (d) Recommend selection criteria for job skills grants, consistent with criteria established in this chapter and chapter 121, Laws of 1999. Such criteria shall include a prioritization of job skills applicants in rural areas;
     (e) Recommend guidelines to the college board for the operation of the job skills program; and
     (f) Recommend grant applicants for receipt of job skills program grants.
     (4) Members of the workforce training customer advisory committee shall consist of three college system representatives selected by the executive director of the college board, three representatives of business selected from nominations provided by statewide business organizations, and three representatives of labor selected from nominations provided by a statewide labor organization representing a cross-section of workers in the state.
     (5)(a) Each community and technical college shall establish a partnership with the workforce development council for its respective region. The purpose of the partnership is to link the programs and services targeted for worker retraining funding with overall regional economic development strategy as determined by the local workforce development council.
     (b) Each college must annually prepare a worker retraining plan, in collaboration with the local workforce development council, that demonstrates how the programs of study targeted to receive worker retraining funding align with the training needs for its region. The plan may also include evidence that training will lead to living wage jobs, a description of student support services, a description of activities or items used for program administration, and appropriate budget materials. The plan must be approved by the college president and submitted to the local workforce development council for review and approval.
     (c) The college board may not authorize colleges to use worker retraining funds until the local workforce development council has approved the college's worker retraining plan.
     (6) Current recipients of unemployment insurance, food stamps, temporary assistance for needy families, or free and reduced price lunches are automatically eligible to receive worker retraining benefits. Colleges shall implement appropriate policies and procedures to verify participation in these programs prior to authorizing worker retraining benefits.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) By July 1, 2010, and within existing resources, the college board shall create a single web site for the purpose of advertising the availability of workforce education and training resources to Washington citizens who are unemployed, underemployed, or are in need of additional training. The web site shall provide:
     (a) A screening component to determine initial eligibility for the worker retraining program, the opportunity internship program, and the opportunity grant program;
     (b) Comprehensive information on the worker retraining, opportunity internship, and opportunity grant programs, including but not limited to, application information, financial aid eligibility and benefit levels, and eligible programs of study; and
     (c) Customized referral to a local community or technical college, based on preferences entered into the web-based screening component created in this section.
     (2) By December 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the college board shall report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature on the outcomes of the worker retraining program. The data shall be disaggregated by college and include data from previous years to facilitate year-to-year comparisons. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
     (a) A list of the programs of study approved for use of worker retraining funds;
     (b) The number of worker retraining students enrolled in the college;
     (c) The number of worker retraining students who earned a degree or certificate, disaggregated by program of study;
     (d) The number and percent of worker retraining students who are employed six to nine months after leaving training, disaggregated by program of study if feasible;
     (e) A qualitative measure of industry satisfaction with worker retraining students;
     (f) The total amount of funding used to increase enrollment capacity for each program of study.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     The opportunity express account is established as a special fund, separate and apart from all public moneys or funds of this state. Up to one hundred million dollars in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the worker retraining, opportunity internship, and opportunity grant programs described in sections 1 through 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.