SB 771 Text

Introduced Version « Senate Bill 771 History

Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted

Senate Bill No. 771
(By Senator Oliverio)
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[Introduced February 18, 2008; referred to the Committee on Education; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-10P-1, §18-10P-2, §18-10P-3, §18-10P-4, §18-10P-5 and §18-10P-6, all relating to authorizing the maintenance and operation of nontraditional career development centers for displaced homemakers and single parents; providing for powers and duties of the Secretary of Education and the Arts; establishing services to be offered; providing for allocation of state funding; and requiring annual report.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-10P-1, §18-10P-2, §18-10P-3, §18-10P-4, §18-10P-5 and §18-10P-6, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 10P. SELF SUFFICIENCY CENTERS.
§18-10P-1. Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Nontraditional Career Development Centers Act."
§18-10P-2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Displaced homemaker" or "single parent" means an individual who:
(1) Has worked in the home, providing unpaid household services for family members;
(2) Is not gainfully employed or is underemployed;
(3) Has had, is experiencing or would have difficulty in securing adequate employment; and
(4) Has been dependent on the income of another family member but is no longer supported by that income, or has been dependent on government assistance but will be or is no longer eligible for such assistance, or is supported as the parent of minor children by government assistance or other support.
"Nontraditional career development center" means a community-based organization, local educational agency, post-secondary school, institution of higher learning or area vocational education school that provides the services specified in section four of this article for displaced homemakers and single parents.
"Secretary" means the secretary of education and the arts. §18-10P-3. Powers and duties of the secretary.
(a) Contracts. -- The secretary may enter into contracts with and make grants to public and nonprofit private entities for purposes of supporting nontraditional career development centers.
(b) Application.-- An application to become a nontraditional career development center shall be submitted to and approved by the secretary on or before the thirtieth day of June, two thousand eight. The secretary shall either approve or disapprove the application prior to the nontraditional career development center being eligible to receive state funding. The application shall include comprehensive classroom curriculum that will include a hands-on component, physical fitness component, job shadow component and a job placement component. To receive approval, the application must show that the proposed center will have a comprehensive program specifically designed to result in high-skill, high-wage job placements for program participants. The application shall include a statistical assessment of the service area and the service needs thereof. It shall also include evidence of proven experience and success in assisting displaced homemakers or single parents to achieve self-sufficiency as currently demonstrated by the center, and a demonstration of the center's fiscal support and stability.
(c) Revocation of approved application.-- The secretary may revoke the approval of a nontraditional career development center if the center fails to meet the criteria established under section four of this article. The approval of a nontraditional career development center shall remain in effect unless revoked by the secretary.
§18-10P-4. Nontraditional career development centers.
(a) A nontraditional career development center shall provide job counseling services which:
(1) Are specifically designed for a person entering the job market after a number of years as a homemaker and include life skills training and counseling to prepare displaced homemakers and single parents to enter and sustain training and employment;
(2) Operate to counsel displaced homemakers and single parents with respect to appropriate job opportunities, focusing on high-skill, high-wage jobs leading to self-sufficiency;
(3) Provide prevocational training and educational services including outreach and information about other programs which are determined to benefit displaced homemakers and single parents to achieve economic self-sufficiency;
(4) Provide training-related support services, including, but not limited to, dependent care, transportation, tuition, books, equipment and tools; and
(5) Provide job search skills training to prepare displaced homemakers and single parents for writing resumes, completing job applications and participating in employment interviewing.
(b) A nontraditional career development center shall provide job training, educational and job placement services which include provision of information, direct training, referrals to institutions providing post-secondary education credits or other services designed to assist the individual to become economically self-sufficient, including basic education and bilingual programs when appropriate. Training shall include courses offered through varied sources. The service centers shall:
(1) Develop, in collaboration with state and local government agencies and private employers, placement programs for jobs in the public and private sectors;
(2) Provide financial assistance in the payment of expenses related to training and assisting displaced homemakers and single parents to gain admission to existing public and private job training programs and opportunities and to determine eligibility for financial aid; and
(3) Assist in identifying community needs and creating new jobs in the public and private sectors.
(c) A nontraditional career development center shall provide:
(1) Information about and referrals to appropriate health education sources;
(2) Financial management services which provide referrals for information with respect to insurance, taxes, estate and probate problems, mortgages loans and other related financial matters; and
(3) Outreach and information services with respect to federal and state employment, education, health and unemployment assistance programs which the secretary determines would be beneficial to displaced homemakers and single parents.
§18-10P-5. Allocation of state funding.
(a) Projected expenditures to be submitted. -- A nontraditional career development center shall submit projected expenditures to the secretary for review prior to allocation of funding. The secretary shall establish eligibility criteria which nontraditional career development centers must annually meet in order to qualify for assistance under this article.
(b) Priority in allocation of funds. -- The secretary shall allocate and distribute state funding among nontraditional career development centers. Priority for financial assistance shall be given to those nontraditional career development centers that received state assistance during the fiscal year prior to the year of application.
§18-10P-6. Evaluation.
The secretary shall prepare and furnish to the Legislature's Joint Committee on Government and Finance, not later than one year after the effective date of this article, a report which includes a thorough assessment of each nontraditional career development center.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the secretary of education and the arts to enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities to support Nontraditional Career Development Centers in assisting displaced homemakers or single parents in receiving job counseling, job training, job placement services and other support services leading to high-skill, high-wage jobs.

This article is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

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