THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY WONDERLING, ALLOWAY, FONTANA, EARLL, SMUCKER AND M. WHITE, MARCH 23, 2009

REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, MARCH 23, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending the act of July 14, 1961 (P.L.604, No.304), entitled

"An act relating to apprenticeship and training; creating a

State Apprenticeship and Training Council in the Department

of Labor and Industry to formulate an apprenticeship and

training policy and program, and defining its powers and

duties and providing for administration," further providing

for powers and duties of the council.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 4(a) of the act of July 14, 1961

(P.L.604, No.304), known as The Apprenticeship and Training Act,

is amended to read:

Section 4.  Powers and Duties.--(a) The council shall (1)

establish standards for apprenticeship in conformity with the

provisions of this act and applicable statutes and regulations

of the Federal Government[;]. The numeric ratio of apprentice to

skilled journeyperson established by the program sponsor must be

established in consideration of the necessary proper

supervision, training, safety and continuity of employment of

the apprentice throughout the apprenticeship. The standard ratio

for all trades in all industries shall be one to one, which

shall mean that a maximum of one apprentice may be employed for

the first skilled journeyperson and one additional apprentice

may be employed for each additional skilled journeyperson; (2)

adopt such rules and regulations, subject only to the approval

of the Secretary of Labor and Industry, as may be necessary to

carry out the intent and purpose of this act; (3) compile such

data on population and employment trends, industrial production,

vocational and industrial education and job requirements as may

be deemed necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this

act; (4) to terminate or cancel any apprenticeship agreements in

accordance with the provisions of such agreements or order

modifications of such agreements; (5) maintain close liaison

with Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, the United States

Department of Labor, the State Board of Vocational Education,

the Department of Public Instruction, the Department of

Commerce, Bureau of Rehabilitation of the Department of Labor

and Industry, and Juvenile Forestry Camps under the Department

of Public Welfare, and such other agencies which carry on

programs closely related to the purposes of this act; (6)

conduct studies, surveys and investigations of the special

problems of retraining or training unemployed or employed

persons to improve or modernize work skills and make appropriate

recommendations to cooperating agencies described above, local

community organizations, local school boards and the Secretary

of Labor and Industry; (7) act as a convening agency in local

communities to bring together local representatives of employes,

employers, educational agencies and industrial development

agencies in order to promote closer local cooperation in

establishing better apprenticeship and other training programs

including programs for employed persons who wish to improve and

modernize their work skills; (8) use appropriate media of

information and education to acquaint employers, employes and

the public at large with the advantages and availability of

apprenticeship and other occupational training programs; (9)

study the effectiveness of apprenticeship agreements and make

recommendations in accordance with the provisions of such

agreements for their improvement; and (10) perform such other

duties as may be necessary to give full effect to the provisions

of this act.

* * *

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.