Bill Text: NJ S2888 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program in DOLWD.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-08-27 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee [S2888 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-S2888-Introduced.html

SENATE, No. 2888

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED AUGUST 27, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  RONALD L. RICE

District 28 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program in DOLWD.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


An Act concerning workforce development funds and amending and supplementing P.L.1992, c.43.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    Section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9) is amended to read as follows:

     9.    a. A restricted, nonlapsing, revolving Workforce Development Partnership Fund, to be managed and invested by the State Treasurer, is hereby established to: provide employment and training services to qualified displaced, disadvantaged and employed workers by means of training grants or customized training services; provide for the other costs indicated in subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-4); provide for the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program as provided for in section 3 of P.L.2015, c.235 (C.34:15D-26); provide for the Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program as provided for in section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill); and facilitate the provision of education and training to youth by means of grants provided by the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-1 et al.). All appropriations to the fund, all interest accumulated on balances in the fund and all cash received for the fund from any other source shall be used solely for the purposes specifically delineated by this act.

     b.    During any fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2001, of the total revenues dedicated to the program during any one fiscal year: 25% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved to provide employment and training services for qualified displaced workers; 6% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved to provide employment and training services for qualified disadvantaged workers; 42% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for and appropriated to the Office of Customized Training, except that, during any fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2019, 37% shall be deposited in that account and 5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for and appropriated to the Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill); 3% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for occupational safety and health training; 5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership created pursuant to P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-1 et seq.); 3% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2015, c.235 (C.34:15D-26); 10% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for administrative costs as defined in section 3 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-3); 0.5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the State Employment and Training Commission to design criteria and conduct an annual evaluation of the program; and 5.5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund to be used, at the discretion of the commissioner, for any of the purposes indicated in subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-4).

     c.     Beginning January 1, 1995, through June 30, 2002, the balance in the fund as of the previous December 31, as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, shall not exceed 1.5 times the amount of contributions deposited for the calendar year then ended. If the balance exceeds this amount, the excess shall be deposited into the unemployment compensation fund within seven business days of the date that the determination is made.

     d.    Beginning July 1, 2002, and for any subsequent fiscal year, if the unexpended cash balance in any of the accounts indicated in subsection b. of this section, less any amount awarded in grants but not yet disbursed from the account, is determined to exceed 20% of the amount of contributions collected for deposit in the account pursuant to this [subsection] section during the fiscal year then ended, the excess shall be regarded as an unemployment compensation contribution and deposited into the unemployment compensation fund within seven business days of the date that the determination is made.

(cf: P.L.2015, c.235, s.2)

 

     2.    (New section)  a.  The Department of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Board of Public Utilities, and the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission, shall establish the Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program.  The purpose of the program is to evaluate and improve training opportunities for jobs in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries in order to increase the number of skilled workers in this State who are qualified for employment in those industries.  The program shall prioritize providing underrepresented groups, including, but not limited to, ethnic minorities, women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals with access to training and jobs in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries.

     b.    To fulfill the purpose of the program, the department shall:

     (1)   assess the effectiveness of State training programs to produce students and workers with the skills and technical expertise necessary to fill the employment opportunities available in the energy-related industries and manufacturing industries in the State;

     (2)   evaluate the outreach and accessibility of these programs to underrepresented groups;

     (3)   identify workforce needs and common skill gaps, by region and industry, in the energy-related industries and manufacturing industries in the State to determine in-demand skills, abilities, and credentials;

     (4)   develop a workforce development strategy, formalized in a written plan, to satisfy workforce needs, close skill gaps, and improve access to entry-level and mid-level jobs in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries, with a focus on providing career pathways for underrepresented groups;

     (5)   establish, publish, and maintain, in a format accessible to the public, a clearinghouse of information and resources on training and workforce development programs for energy-related industries and manufacturing industries;

     (6)   annually award a minimum of five consortia of employers, labor organizations, and education institutions with training grants for the purpose of providing programs that focus on the development of in-demand skills, abilities, or credentials in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries. The department shall prioritize awarding grants to consortia that include outreach strategies to underrepresented groups. All training grants shall be administered by the Office of Customized Training and each grant awardee shall comply with all the requirements of section 5 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-5); and

     (7)   prepare an annual report of the program's findings for the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).

     c.     The Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program shall be funded through the funds reserved for the program from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9).  In addition, the department shall, to the maximum extent permitted by State and federal law, give priority in the use of job training funds, as defined in section 4 of P.L.1989, c.293 (C.34:15C-1), including any available federal job training funds and any other available State job training funds, to provide funds to the Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program to implement the workforce development strategy required under paragraph (4) of subsection b. of this section.

     d.    As used in this act:

     "Energy-related industry" means the exploration, extraction, transportation, transmission, refining, processing, generation, distribution, sale or storage of energy and includes, but is not limited to: the energy efficiency industry; the pipeline industry; the utility industry; the alternative fuels industry; the nuclear industry; the oil and gas industry; the renewable energy industry; and the coal industry.

     "Manufacturing industry" means an industry involving the process of converting raw materials, components, or parts into finished goods and includes, but is not limited to: the chemical manufacturing industry; the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry; the computer and electronic product manufacturing industry; the fabricated metal manufacturing industry; the food manufacturing industry; and the machinery manufacturing industry.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill establishes the Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Board of Public Utilities, and the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission. The purpose of the program is to evaluate and improve training opportunities for jobs in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries in order to increase the number of skilled workers in this State who are qualified for employment in those industries.  Furthermore, the program must prioritize providing underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, with access to training and jobs in energy-related and manufacturing industries in the State.

     To fulfill the purpose of the program, the department is required to:

     1.    assess the effectiveness of State training programs to produce students and workers with the skills and technical expertise necessary to fill the employment opportunities available in the energy-related and manufacturing industries in the State;

     2.    evaluate the outreach and accessibility of such programs to underrepresented groups;

     3.    identify workforce needs and common skill gaps, by region and industry, within energy-related industries and manufacturing industries in the State to determine in-demand skills, abilities, and credentials;

     4.    develop a workforce strategy, formalized in a written plan, to satisfy workforce needs, close skill gaps, and improve access to entry-level and mid-level jobs in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries, with a focus on providing career pathways for underrepresented groups;

     5.    establish, publish, and maintain, in a format accessible to the public, a clearinghouse of information and resources on training and workforce development programs for jobs in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries;

     6.    annually award a minimum of five consortia of employers, labor organizations, and education institutions with training grants for the purpose of providing programs that focus on the development of in-demand skills in energy-related industries and manufacturing industries.  The department must prioritize awarding grants to consortia that include outreach strategies to underrepresented groups. Furthermore, all training grants are required to be administered by the Office of Customized Training and each grant awardee shall comply with all the requirements of section 5 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-5); and

     7.    prepare an annual report on the program's findings for the Governor and the Legislature.

     The bill provides that five percent of the total revenues dedicated to the Workforce Development Partnership Fund during any one fiscal year must be reserved for the Energy and Manufacturing Workforce Development Program.  Furthermore, the bill requires the department, to the extent permitted by law, to give priority in the use of other available State and federal job training funds, to fund the program to implement the workforce development strategy plan required under its provisions.

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