10 LC 36
1624ERS
The House Committee on Industrial Relations offers the following
substitute to HB 1195:
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To
amend Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and
industrial relations, so as to create the Georgia Workforce Investment Board; to
provide for definitions; to provide for the membership of said board; to provide
for the board's powers, functions, and funding; to establish the Governor's
Office of Workforce Development; to establish Georgia Work Ready; to provide for
related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Title
34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial
relations, is amended by repealing Chapter 14, relating to the Governor's
Employment and Training Council, and enacting a new Chapter 14 to read as
follows:
"CHAPTER
14
34-14-1.
As
used in this chapter, the term:
(1)
'Board' means the Georgia Workforce Investment Board.
(2)
'Director' means the executive director of the Governor's Office of Workforce
Development.
(3)
'Federal law' means the Workforce Investment Act of 1988, Public Law
105-220.
(4)
'Georgia Work Ready' means the state's branded workforce development enterprise
implemented by the Governor's Office of Workforce Development that links
education and workforce development together and aligns to the economic
development needs at the local, regional, and state levels.
34-14-2.
(a)
Pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220, there is
created the Georgia Workforce Investment Board.
(b)
The board shall consist of members to be selected by the Governor consistent
with federal law requirements, two members of the House of Representatives,
appointed by the Speaker of the House, and two members of the Senate, appointed
by the Lieutenant Governor. A majority of the members of the board shall be
representatives of businesses in this state. Other members may include, but
shall not be limited to, representatives of individuals and organizations that
have experience and expertise in education, the economy, the workforce, and
labor.
(c)
The chairperson of the board shall be appointed by the Governor. Other officers
shall be elected or otherwise selected as determined by the
Governor.
(d)
The members of the board shall serve such terms as established by the Governor,
and the members shall continue at the discretion of the Governor, except for the
members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, who shall continue at
the discretion of the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor,
respectively.
(e)
The board shall have such powers and duties as specified by the Governor and as
provided by federal law.
(f)
The board shall adopt bylaws to guide its proceedings.
(g)
The board shall be funded by federal law as provided in this
chapter.
(h)
The board shall be attached to the Office of Planning and Budget for
administrative purposes only.
(i)
Each member of the board who is not otherwise a state officer or employee shall
be authorized to receive reimbursement for reasonably necessary travel expenses
incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the board,
provided that such funds are available and such reimbursements are allowable
under federal law. Should funds not be available or allowable for this purpose,
such members shall serve without compensation. Each member of the board who is
otherwise a state officer or employee shall be reimbursed by the agency of which
he or she is an officer or employee for reasonably necessary travel expenses
actually incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the
board, provided that such funds are available and such reimbursements are
allowable under federal law. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection,
members of the board shall receive no compensation for their
services.
(j)
The board shall be authorized to consult with and form committees with members
and persons knowledgeable on the subject matter at issue in order to carry out
effectively its duties. Such consultants shall serve without compensation but
shall be reimbursed for travel and other reasonable and necessary expenses
incurred while attending meetings of or on behalf of the board, provided that
such travel and other expenses are approved by the director and such
reimbursements are allowable under federal law.
(k)
The Governor's Office of Workforce Development shall be authorized to employ and
contract with other individuals and organizations as needed to assist in
executing the board's responsibilities, provided that funds are available for
such expenditures and such expenditures are allowable under federal
law.
(l)
All state departments, institutions, agencies, commissions, councils,
authorities, boards, bureaus, or other entities of the state shall provide all
information and support as required by the board to perform its
duties.
34-14-3.
(a)
The Governor's Office of Workforce Development is hereby established to
implement state workforce development policy as directed by the Governor and to
serve as staff to the board.
(b)
The Governor's Office of Workforce Development shall have an executive director
appointed by the Governor whose duties are to implement state-wide workforce
development policy as directed by the Governor, to serve as workforce
development policy advisor to the Governor, and to serve as executive director
to the board.
(c)
The Governor's Office of Workforce Development shall be attached to the Office
of Planning and Budget for administrative purposes only.
34-14-4
(a)
The annual allocation reserved by federal law for state-wide workforce
activities and administration, known as the 'Governor's discretionary funds,'
shall be reserved for use by the Governor to support state-wide workforce
activities recommended by the board and within parameters set forth in Section
128 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1988, Public Law 105-220, and may be
implemented through the creation of the Georgia Work Ready
program.
(b)
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require any appropriation of state
funds."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.