COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 4534
(By Delegates Jenkins, Mezzatesta, Michael, Staton, Clements,
Beach and Williams)
(Originating in the Committee on
Finance)
[March 5, 1998]
A BILL to amend article one-b, chapter five of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended,
by adding thereto a new section, designated section nine,
relating to the creation of "Operation Native Talent"; and
requiring the chief technology officer to establish and
maintain a database, accessible over the internet, of West
Virginians seeking employment and employment opportunities
in West Virginia.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article one-b, chapter five of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section nine,
to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1B. CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.
§5-1B-9. Operation native talent; findings; creation and
maintenance of database.
(a) The Legislature finds:
(1) West Virginia has been experiencing strong economic growth in recent years with many existing employers increasing
employment opportunities and hiring new employees.
(2) West Virginia is also experiencing success in recruiting
and attracting many large employers, necessitating the hiring of
hundreds of new employees.
(3) The creation of a comprehensive, well organized list of
current resources may assist in drawing employers from outside of
the region who may otherwise not consider West Virginia as a
possible location.
(4) The increased demand for labor has created many job
opportunities for West Virginians. West Virginia must make every
effort to assist in matching our native talent to these job
openings.
(5) Individuals who are continuing their education have
first hand knowledge of the skills required for positions
available.
(6) Maintaining a database accessible over the internet will
assist employers in identifying potential candidates and posting
unfilled openings. It will also assist West Virginians in
obtaining employment and therefore help reverse the unfortunate
trend our state has experienced over the last few decades of out- migration by our residents seeking suitable employment.
(7) Although assistance in job placement is currently
provided by college and university placement offices and other
job placement programs, both public and private, there is no
centralized database of West Virginians seeking employment.
(8) A centralized database would enable any employer to use various search criteria in seeking qualified applicants.
(b) The chief technology officer is responsible for
implementing "Operation Native Talent." Operation native talent
consists of the establishment and maintenance of a database, or
databases, of West Virginians seeking employment and available
employment opportunities in West Virginia that may be accessed
through the internet.
(c) The chief technology officer:
(1) In developing the database, shall solicit advice and
suggestions from the various state college and university
placement offices, persons involved in economic development
activities, the bureau of employment programs and other public
and private firms concerning the type, format, structure and
content of the database, in order to make it useful to employers
seeking new employees and individuals seeking employment;
(2) Shall widely publicize the creation of the database and
its purpose;
(3) May contract with another governmental agency or
nongovernmental nonprofit organization to perform all or part of
the responsibilities required in this section; and
(4) Shall submit by the first day of January of each year,
a report to the governor, the president of the Senate and the
speaker of the House of Delegates detailing the status of the
program.
(d) The database shall be designed so that:
(1) Any West Virginian seeking employment may be listed in
the database, along with contact information for those individuals, and a running total of contact requests;
(2) Once an individual seeking employment is listed nothing
further is required of the individual; and
(3) It supplements, not replaces, other state or locally
based employment placement operations.