The Florida Senate

288.9953  Regional Workforce Development Boards.--

(1)  One regional workforce development board shall be appointed in each designated service delivery area and shall serve as the local workforce investment board pursuant to Pub. L. No. 105-220. The membership of the board shall be consistent with Pub. L. No. 105-220, Title I, s. 117(b), and contain three representatives of organized labor. A member of a regional workforce development board may not vote on a matter under consideration by the board regarding the provision of services by such member, or by an entity that such member represents; vote on a matter that would provide direct financial benefit to such member or the immediate family of such member; or engage in any other activity determined by the Governor to constitute a conflict of interest as specified in the state plan.

(2)  The Workforce Development Board will determine the timeframe and manner of changes to the regional workforce development boards as required by this act and Pub. L. No. 105-220.

(3)  The Workforce Development Board shall assign staff to meet with each regional workforce development board annually to review the board's performance and to certify that the board is in compliance with applicable state and federal law.

(4)  In addition to the duties and functions specified by the Workforce Development Board and by the interlocal agreement approved by the local county or city governing bodies, the regional workforce development board shall have the following responsibilities:

(a)  Develop, submit, ratify, or amend the local plan pursuant to Pub. L. No. 105-220, Title I, s. 118.

(b)  Conclude agreements necessary to designate the fiscal agent and administrative entity.

(c)  Complete assurances required for the Workforce Development Board charter process and provide ongoing oversight related to administrative costs, duplicated services, career counseling, economic development, equal access, compliance and accountability, and performance outcomes.

(d)  Oversee One-Stop Career Centers in its local area.

(5)  The Workforce Development Board shall implement a training program for the regional workforce development boards to familiarize board members with the state's workforce development goals and strategies. The regional workforce development board shall designate all local service providers and shall not transfer this authority to a third party. In order to exercise independent oversight, the regional workforce development board shall not be a direct provider of intake, assessment, eligibility determinations, or other direct provider services.

(6)  Regional workforce development boards may appoint local committees to obtain technical assistance on issues of importance, including those issues affecting older workers.

(7)  Each regional workforce development board shall establish a high skills/high wages committee consisting of five private-sector business representatives, including the regional workforce development board chair; the presidents of all community colleges within the board's region; those district school superintendents with authority for conducting postsecondary educational programs within the region; and a representative from a nonpublic postsecondary educational institution that is an authorized individual training account provider within the region. The business representatives other than the board chair need not be members of the regional workforce development board.

(a)  During fiscal year 1999-2000, each high skills/high wages committee shall submit, quarterly, recommendations to the Workforce Development Board related to:

1.  Policies to enhance the responsiveness of high skills/high wages programs in its region to business and economic development opportunities.

2.  Integrated use of state education and federal workforce development funds to enhance the training and placement of designated population individuals with local businesses and industries.

(b)  After fiscal year 1999-2000, the Workforce Development Board has the discretion to decrease the frequency of reporting by the high skills/high wages committees, but the committees shall meet and submit any recommendations at least annually.

(c)  Annually, the Workforce Development Board shall compile all the recommendations of the high skills/high wages committees, research their feasibility, and make recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

History.--s. 2, ch. 96-404; s. 1072, ch. 97-103; s. 54, ch. 99-251.

Note.--Former s. 446.602.