PRINTER'S NO. 1078
No. 902 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY TARTAGLIONE, MELLOW, LAVALLE, MUSTO, LOGAN, COSTA,
C. WILLIAMS, STOUT, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, BROWNE, O'PAKE,
BOSCOLA, WOZNIAK, WASHINGTON, STACK, FERLO AND FONTANA,
JUNE 1, 2007
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, JUNE 1, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114),
2 entitled, as amended, "An act establishing a unified
3 workforce investment system; restructuring certain
4 administrative functions, procedures and entities;
5 transferring workforce development functions of Commonwealth
6 agencies; establishing the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment
7 Board; providing for critical job training grants, for
8 guarantees for program quality and performance for workforce
9 development programs, for workforce leadership grants; and
10 authorizing local workforce investment boards," further
11 providing for membership of the Pennsylvania Workforce
12 Investment Board; and establishing the Pennsylvania Center
13 for Health Careers.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Section 302(a) of the act of December 18, 2001
17 (P.L.949, No.114), known as the Workforce Development Act,
18 amended December 16, 2002 (P.L.1930, No.224), is amended to
19 read:
20 Section 302. Membership.
21 (a) General rule.--The board shall be established as
22 follows:
1 (1) The Governor or a designee.
2 (2) Four members of the General Assembly:
3 (i) Two senators, one appointed by the President pro
4 tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority
5 Leader of the Senate.
6 (ii) Two representatives, one appointed by the
7 Speaker of the House of Representatives and one appointed
8 by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
9 (3) Representatives appointed by the Governor who are:
10 (i) Representatives of business, including private
11 sector employers, representatives from each of the
12 Commonwealth's marketing regions, owners of businesses,
13 chief executive officers, other business executives with
14 optimum policymaking or hiring authority, members of
15 local workforce investment boards and businesses that
16 reflect the employment opportunities in this
17 Commonwealth, including large and small employers.
18 (ii) Chief elected officials nominated by Statewide
19 organizations or associations representing elected
20 officials.
21 (iii) Representatives of labor organizations who
22 have been nominated by State labor federations.
23 (iv) Representatives of individuals and
24 organizations experienced with respect to youth
25 activities.
26 (v) Representatives of organizations which have
27 experience and expertise in the delivery of workforce
28 investment activities, including chief executive officers
29 of community colleges, technical colleges and community-
30 based organizations in this Commonwealth.
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1 (v.1) The chair or a co-chair of the Health Careers
2 Leadership Council of the Pennsylvania Center for Health
3 Careers.
4 (vi) Lead Commonwealth agency officials, including:
5 (A) The Secretary of Aging.
6 (B) The Secretary of Community and Economic
7 Development.
8 (C) The Secretary of Education.
9 (D) The Secretary of Labor and Industry.
10 (E) The Secretary of Public Welfare.
11 (F) The Director of the Governor's Policy
12 Office.
13 (vii) Any other representative or Commonwealth
14 agency official the Governor deems necessary.
15 (4) A majority of the board under this subsection must
16 be representatives of business.
17 (5) The Governor shall solicit recommendations from
18 State, regional and local business organizations in making
19 appointments to the board.
20 * * *
21 Section 2. The act is amended by adding a chapter to read:
22 CHAPTER 11
23 PENNSYLVANIA CENTER FOR HEALTH CAREERS
24 Section 1101. Definitions.
25 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
26 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
27 context clearly indicates otherwise:
28 "Center." The Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers.
29 "Leadership council." The Health Careers Leadership Council
30 of the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers.
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1 Section 1102. Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers.
2 (a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Center for Health
3 Careers is hereby established within the Department of Labor and
4 Industry.
5 (b) Purpose.--The center shall provide a focused direction
6 and purpose for the development of strategies to address the
7 Commonwealth's short-term and long-term health care workforce
8 challenges to ensure the quality and supply of such work force
9 by:
10 (1) Increasing the capacity of nursing education in this
11 Commonwealth.
12 (2) Retaining health care workers.
13 (3) Increasing diversity of health care workers.
14 (4) Responding to the demand for allied health
15 professionals that provide critical care.
16 (5) Addressing the needs of direct care workers.
17 (c) Powers and duties.--The center shall have the following
18 powers and duties:
19 (1) Determine the health care workforce needs of this
20 Commonwealth through research, outreach and study.
21 (2) Research best practices in addressing similar
22 workforce needs in other states.
23 (3) Assess the effectiveness of the initiatives,
24 programs and projects the center undertakes.
25 (4) Assist and implement the initiatives and strategies
26 of the leadership council.
27 (5) Develop recruitment and workplace tools that assist
28 health care facilities to increase the diversity of their
29 work force and promote the delivery of culturally appropriate
30 care.
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1 (6) Assess the current capacity of medical education
2 within this Commonwealth's medical schools and training
3 programs.
4 (7) Assess current and needed efforts addressing
5 recruitment and retention of physicians and other health care
6 professionals.
7 Section 1103. Leadership council.
8 (a) Membership.--The center shall be governed by the Health
9 Careers Leadership Council which shall consist of the following
10 members:
11 (1) The Secretary of Labor and Industry or a designee.
12 (2) The Secretary of State or a designee.
13 (3) The Secretary of Health or a designee.
14 (4) The Secretary of Public Welfare or a designee.
15 (5) Four members of the General Assembly:
16 (i) Two senators, one appointed by the President pro
17 tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority
18 Leader of the Senate.
19 (ii) Two representatives, one appointed by the
20 Speaker of the House of Representatives and one appointed
21 by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
22 (6) Additional members that are representatives of
23 health care-related professionals and organizations,
24 including employers, employees, educators and labor
25 organizations in such number as may be determined by the
26 Governor and to be appointed by the Governor in consultation
27 with the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board established
28 by this act.
29 (7) Members of the leadership council shall serve at the
30 pleasure of their respective appointing authorities. Members
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1 shall not receive compensation for their service as members
2 of the leadership council but shall be reimbursed for
3 reasonable and necessary expenses in the performance of their
4 duties in accordance with Commonwealth policy with the
5 approval of the Secretary of Labor and Industry.
6 (8) The Governor shall designate a member or members of
7 the leadership council to serve as chair or co-chairs.
8 (b) Powers and duties.--The leadership council shall have
9 the following powers and duties:
10 (1) Determine the organization, procedures and
11 priorities of the center.
12 (2) Develop initiatives, programs and projects for the
13 center to address the health care workforce needs of this
14 Commonwealth.
15 (3) Apply for grants and seek other revenue sources,
16 including General Fund appropriations through the Department
17 of Labor and Industry's budget.
18 (4) Do all other acts necessary to carry out the
19 purposes and policies of this chapter.
20 Section 1104. Administration.
21 (a) General rule.--The Department of Labor and Industry
22 shall provide administrative support to the center and the
23 leadership council.
24 (b) Access.--The center shall use and have access to any
25 information, services, functions and other resources in the
26 possession of Commonwealth agencies deemed necessary to the
27 fulfillment of its responsibilities under this chapter.
28 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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