BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to administering job skills grants; and amending RCW 28C.04.420.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 28C.04.420 and 1999 c 121 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

The college board may, subject to appropriation from the legislature or from funds made available from any other public or private source and pursuant to rules adopted by the college board with the advice of the work force training customer advisory committee established in RCW 28C.04.390, provide job skills grants to educational institutions. The job skills grants shall be used exclusively for programs which are consistent with the job skills program. The college board shall work in collaboration with the work force training customer advisory committee established in RCW 28C.04.390 to assure that:

(1) The program is within the scope of the job skills program under this chapter and may reasonably be expected to succeed and thereby increase employment within the state;

(2) Provision has been made to use any available alternative funding from local, state, and federal sources;

(3) The job skills grant will only be used to cover the costs associated with the program;

(4) The program will not unnecessarily duplicate existing programs and could not be provided by another educational institution more effectively or efficiently;

(5) The program involves an area of skills training and education for which there is a demonstrable need;

(6) The applicant has made provisions for the use of existing federal and state resources for student financial assistance;

(7) The job skills grant is essential to the success of the program as the resources of the applicant are inadequate to attract the technical assistance and financial support necessary for the program from business and industry;

(8) The program represents a collaborative partnership between business, industry, labor, educational institutions, and other partners, as appropriate;

(9) The commitment of financial support from business and industry shall be equal to or greater than the amount of the requested job skills grant;

(10) Binding commitments have been made to the commission by the applicant for adequate reporting of information and data regarding the program to the commission, particularly information concerning the recruitment and employment of trainees and students, and including a requirement for an annual or other periodic audit of the books of the applicant directly related to the program, and for such control on the part of the commission as it considers prudent over the management of the program, so as to protect the use of public funds, including, in the discretion of the commission and without limitation, right of access to financial and other records of the applicant directly related to the programs; and

(11) A provision has been made by the applicant to work, in cooperation with the employment security department, to identify and screen potential trainees, and that provision has been made by the applicant for the participation as trainees of low-income persons including temporary assistance for needy families recipients, dislocated workers, and persons from minority and economically disadvantaged groups to participate in the program.

In administering the job skills grants, the college board shall solicit the involvement of businesses employing current or recent WorkFirst participants. The college board shall, in conjunction with local educational institutions, provide information about the operation and benefits of the job skills program to such employers and encourage their participation.

Beginning October 1, 1999, and every two years thereafter, the college board shall provide the legislature and the governor with a report describing the activities and outcomes of the state job skills program.