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. 20070S0902B1078 - 2 -
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. 20070S0902B1078 - 3 -
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. 20070S0902B1078 - 4 -
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 20070S0902B1078 - 5 -
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. E21L43SFL/20070S0902B1078 - 6 -