H. B. 2129
(By Delegates Fleischauer, Hrutkay,
Beach, Perry and Williams)
[Introduced January 13, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then Finance.]
A BILL to amend chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding
thereto a new article, designated article ten-o, 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 chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding
thereto a new article, designated article ten-o, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 10O. SELF SUFFICIENCY CENTERS.
§18-10O-1. Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the
"Nontraditional Career Development Centers Act."
§18-10O-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,
postsecondary 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.
§18-10O-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
four. 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.
§18-10O-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 postsecondary 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, mortgage 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.
§18-10O-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.
§18-10O-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.