The Florida Senate

414.030  WAGES Program Employment Projects.--

(1)  The Legislature finds that the success of the WAGES Program depends upon the existence of sufficient employment opportunities compatible with the education and skill levels of participants in the WAGES Program. The Legislature further finds that extraordinary assistance may need to be granted for certain economic development projects that can have a great impact on the employment of WAGES participants. It is the intent of the Legislature to authorize the Governor and local governments to marshal state and local resources in a coordinated and timely manner to foster the development and completion of economic development projects that have been identified as having a great impact on the employment of WAGES participants.

(2)  By August 1 of each year, each local city and county economic development organization, in consultation with local WAGES coalitions, shall identify economic development projects that can have the greatest impact on employing WAGES participants in their areas. Each local economic development organization shall provide a prioritized list of no more than five such projects to Enterprise Florida, Inc., by August 1 of each year. The organizations shall identify local resources that are available to foster the development and completion of each project.

(3)(a)  By September 1 of each year, Enterprise Florida, Inc., in consultation with the WAGES Program State Board of Directors, shall review and prioritize the list of projects identified pursuant to subsection (2) using the following criteria:

1.  Areas with a high proportion of families who had already received cash assistance in 3 out of the previous 5 years at the time their time limit was established;

2.  Areas with a high proportion of families subject to the WAGES time limit headed by a parent who was under age 24 at the time the time limit was established and who lacked high school or GED completion;

3.  Areas with a high proportion of families subject to the time limit who have used all of the available months of cash assistance since October 1996;

4.  Areas with a low ratio of new jobs per WAGES participant;

5.  Areas with a low ratio of job openings requiring less than a high school degree per WAGES participant;

6.  Areas with a high proportion of families subject to the time limit who are either within 6 months of the time limit or are receiving cash assistance under a period of hardship extension to the time limit;

7.  Areas with unusually high unemployment; and

8.  Areas identified as labor surplus areas using the criteria established by the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.

(b)  To the greatest extent possible, Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall foster the development or completion of the projects identified pursuant to paragraph (a) using existing state and local resources under the control of Enterprise Florida, Inc. To the extent that such projects cannot be developed or completed from resources available, Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall identify and prioritize projects that need extraordinary state and local assistance. Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall provide the list of projects needing extraordinary assistance to the Governor and each WAGES Program Employment Project Coordinator designated pursuant to subsection (4) by September 1 of each year.

(4)(a)  By July 1, 1998, the heads of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Labor and Employment Security, Community Affairs, Children and Family Services, Revenue, Business and Professional Regulation, Management Services, Military Affairs, Transportation, and Environmental Protection, and the Comptroller; the Auditor General; the executive director of each water management district; and the heads of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, Enterprise Florida, Inc., Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the State Board of Community Colleges, the Division of Workforce Development of the Department of Education, State University System, and the Office of Planning and Budgeting shall select from within such organizations a person to be designated as the WAGES Program Employment Project Coordinator.

(b)  By October 1 of each year, each WAGES Program Employment Project Coordinator shall determine what resources are available at the organization to foster the development and completion of the economic development projects received pursuant to subsection (3). Each coordinator shall provide this determination to the Governor by October 1 of each year.

(5)(a)  By October 15 of each year, the Governor may, by executive order, designate these projects as WAGES Program Employment Projects, and direct the agencies to use the resources identified pursuant to subsection (4) to develop or complete such projects. The order shall direct such agencies to contract with the appropriate local WAGES coalition to develop or complete such projects. Funds allocated to these projects must not exceed $5,000 per new job created.

(b)  Notwithstanding the eligibility provisions of s. 403.973, the Governor may waive such eligibility requirements by executive order for projects that have been identified as needing expedited permitting.

(c)  To the extent that resources identified pursuant to subsection (4) have been appropriated by the Legislature for a specific purpose that does not allow for the expenditure of such resources on the projects, the Governor may use the budget amendment process in chapter 216 to request that these resources be released to the Governor's Office to accomplish the development or completion of the project.

(d)  Any executive order issued by the Governor pursuant to this section shall expire within 90 days, unless renewed for an additional 60 days by the Governor. However, no executive order may be issued by the Governor pursuant to this section for a period in excess of 150 days.

(6)  Each local WAGES coalition with jurisdiction over an area where a WAGES Program Employment Project has been designated by the Governor pursuant to subsection (5) shall enter into a contract with the appropriate local, state, or private entities to ensure that the project is developed and completed. Such contracts may include, but are not limited to, contracts with applicable state agencies and businesses to provide training, education, and employment opportunities for WAGES participants. Each local WAGES coalition may be awarded reasonable administration costs from funds appropriated for these projects.

(7)  All contracts shall be performance-based and fixed-unit price. Contracts must include provisions for reporting employment performance outcomes, identified by the participant's social security number, utilizing the Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security's financial reporting management information system. Contracts may provide for expenditures that need to be made in advance of the hiring of WAGES participants as provided by applicable federal and state laws. Employment shall be committed to WAGES participants for a period of at least 3 years and shall provide health care benefits.

(8)  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development shall convene a WAGES Program Employment Implementation Team to ensure the timely and effective implementation of these projects. By March 15 of each year, this team shall submit to the WAGES Program State Board of Directors, the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority Leader a complete and detailed report that includes, but is not limited to, a description of the activities, expenditures, and projects undertaken pursuant to this section and a description of what, if any, legislative action that may be necessary.

(9)(a)  The Auditor General may, pursuant to his or her own authority or at the direction of the Legislature, conduct a financial audit of the expenditure of resources pursuant to this section.

(b)  Prior to the 2000 Regular Session of the Legislature, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall conduct a review of the projects developed or completed pursuant to this section. The review shall be comprehensive in its scope, but, at a minimum, must be conducted in a manner as to specifically determine:

1.  The impact the provisions contained in this section had on the development and completion of the projects identified pursuant to this section.

2.  Whether it would be sound public policy to continue or discontinue to foster the development or completion of projects using the processes provided in this section. The report shall be submitted by January 1, 2000, to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority Leader.

History.--s. 3, ch. 98-57; s. 6, ch. 99-241.