PRINTER'S NO. 2225
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1403
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY BLAKE, TEPLITZ, ARGALL, COSTA, GREENLEAF, BOSCOLA,
VULAKOVICH, RESCHENTHALER, FONTANA, SCHWANK, BROWNE, RAFFERTY
AND WARD, NOVEMBER 3, 2016
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016
AN ACT
Establishing the Pennsylvania Career Readiness Council; and
providing for its powers and duties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
Career Readiness Council Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Charter School." A charter school, regional charter school
or cyber charter school established under Article XVII-A of the
Public School Code of 1949.
"Chief school administrator." The superintendent or chief
executive officer of a school district, director of an area
vocational-technical school, executive director of an
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intermediate unit or chief executive officer of a charter
school, regional charter school or cyber charter school.
"Community college." An institution created pursuant to
either of the following:
(1) Article XIX-A of the Public School Code of 1949.
(2) The act of August 24, 1963 (P.L.1132, No.484), known
as the Community College Act of 1963.
"Council." The Pennsylvania Career Readiness Council
established under this act.
"High priority occupation." A job category, within selected
industry clusters, that is identified by the Department of Labor
and Industry as:
(1) being in demand by employers;
(2) having higher skill needs; and
(3) likely to provide family-sustaining wages.
"Independent institution of higher education." The term as
defined under section 2001-C of the Public School Code of 1949.
"Intermediate Unit." A geographic unit as described under
Article IX-A of the Public School Code of 1949.
"Labor organization." As follows:
(1) The term as defined under section 3(f) of the act of
June 1, 1937 (P.L.1168, No.294), known as the Pennsylvania
Labor Relations Act.
(2) An "employe organization," as defined under section
301(3) of the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known
as the Public Employe Relations Act.
"Local workforce investment board." The term as defined
under section 103 of the Workforce Development Act.
"Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board." The Pennsylvania
Workforce Investment Board established under section 301 of the
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Workforce Development Act.
"Public School Code of 1949." The act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949.
"Rural public school district." A public school district
that has a population of less than 300 people per square mile.
The term also includes an intermediate unit or area vocational-
technical school if the composite data for all participating
school districts meet the criteria specified under this
definition.
"School entity." A school district, intermediate unit, area
vocational-technical school or charter school.
"State-related institution." The Pennsylvania State
University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University,
Lincoln University and their branch campuses.
"State System of Higher Education." The State System of
Higher Education established under Article XX-A of the Public
School Code of 1949.
"Suburban public school district." A public school district
that has a population of at least 300 people per square mile and
not more than 850 people per square mile. The term also includes
an intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school if the
composite data for all participating school districts meet the
criteria specified under this definition.
"Urban public school district." A public school district
that has a population of more than 850 people per square mile.
The term also includes an intermediate unit or area vocational-
technical school if the composite data for all participating
school districts meet the criteria specified under this
definition.
"Workforce Development Act." The act of December 18, 2001
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(P.L.949, No.114), known as the Workforce Development Act.
Section 3. Pennsylvania Career Readiness Council.
(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Career Readiness
Council is established.
(b) Membership.--The Pennsylvania Career Readiness Council
shall be comprised of the following members:
(1) The Governor.
(2) The Secretary of Labor and Industry.
(3) The Secretary of Community and Economic Development.
(4) The Secretary of Education.
(5) The Secretary of Human Services.
(6) Two members of the Senate as follows:
(i) one member appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate; and
(ii) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of
the Senate.
(7) Two members of the House of Representatives as
follows:
(i) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives; and
(ii) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of
the House of Representatives.
(8) The following members appointed by the Governor:
(i) One member who shall be the Chancellor of the
State System of Higher Education.
(ii) One member who shall be a president of a
community college.
(iii) One member who shall be a president of a
State-related institution.
(iv) One member who shall be a president of an
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independent institution of higher education.
(v) Three members who shall be chief school
administrators as follows:
(A) one member who is a representative of an
urban school district;
(B) one member who is a representative of a
suburban school district; and
(C) one member who is a representative of a
rural school district.
(vi) One member who shall be the director of an area
vocational-technical school or career and technical
center.
(vii) One member who shall be an executive director
of an intermediate unit.
(viii) One member who shall be a representative of a
labor organization.
(ix) One member who shall be an executive director
of a local workforce investment board.
(x) Ten members who shall be chief executives of
businesses that represent different high-priority
occupation areas and are geographically dispersed
throughout this Commonwealth.
(c) Designees.--Governmental members may appoint a designee
to attend and vote at meetings of the council. Each governmental
member who appoints a designee shall do so by sending a letter
to the chairperson stating the name of the designee.
(d) Terms.--The following shall apply:
(1) The terms of the members who serve by virtue of the
public office they hold shall be concurrent with their
service in the office from which they derive their
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membership.
(2) The initial terms of members appointed under
subsection (b)(8) shall be staggered as follows:
(i) Seven members shall serve a term of one year.
(ii) Seven members shall serve a term of two years.
(iii) Seven members shall serve a term of three
years.
(3) The subsequent terms of members appointed under
subsection (b)(8) shall be three years.
(e) Vacancies.--If a vacancy on the council occurs, the
appointing authority shall appoint an individual to fill the
vacancy in accordance with the criteria under subsection (b).
(f) Executive director.--The following shall apply:
(1) The Governor shall nominate an individual as
executive director to the council. The council shall ratify
the nomination for executive director with a vote of a simple
majority of the members of the council.
(2) The executive director may hire additional staff as
necessary and as funding allows.
(g) Council leadership.--The following shall apply:
(1) The Governor shall serve as the chairperson of the
council.
(2) The Governor shall select an appointed business
chief executive to serve as vice-chairperson of the council
in accordance with subsection (b).
(h) Meetings.--The following shall apply:
(1) The council shall meet at the call of the
chairperson, but no less than four times a year.
(2) The chairperson, in consultation with the vice-
chairperson, shall establish the agenda for each meeting of
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the council.
(i) Quorum and official action.--The following shall apply:
(1) A majority of voting members of the council shall
constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.
(2) The affirmative votes of a majority of voting
members of the council are necessary for the council to take
official action.
(j) Reimbursement.--The members of the council may not
receive a salary or per diem allowance for serving as members of
the council, but shall be reimbursed for the actual and
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the members'
duties.
(k) Funding.--The council may accept appropriations from the
General Assembly, grants from the Federal Government, grants
from the Commonwealth, money from private entities or any
combination thereof.
(l) Conflict of interest.--A member of the council may not
vote on a matter under consideration by the council:
(1) regarding the provision of services by the member or
by an entity that the member represents; or
(2) which would provide direct financial benefit to the
member or the immediate family of the member.
Section 4. Duties of the council.
(a) Duties.--The council shall:
(1) Within 180 days of the effective date of this
section, develop a vision and mission statement that makes
clear the council's purpose as well as the respective roles
and responsibilities of council members.
(2) Within one year of the effective date of this
section, develop a plan in consultation with the Pennsylvania
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Workforce Investment Board to improve this Commonwealth's
career readiness preparation system. The plan developed under
this paragraph shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) Proposed changes to:
(A) improve the transition from K-12 education
and postsecondary education to the work force; and
(B) ensure that programs are aligned with
current or anticipated business and industry needs.
(ii) Proposed changes, including recommended
legislation and rules, to increase coordination, data
sharing and communication among State, local and private
agencies, groups and associations that are involved in
education, job skills development and career training.
(iii) Proposed changes to make this Commonwealth a
leader in employment opportunities related to the fields
of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
(3) Identify appropriate information and request
appropriate data disaggregated by subgroups from council
members in order to make recommendations for system
improvement and set goals regarding, at minimum, the
following areas:
(i) Availability of and access to high-quality
career pathways in high-skill, high-demand industry
occupations spanning secondary and postsecondary
education.
(ii) Availability of and access to high-quality
work-based learning and preapprenticeship/apprenticeship
opportunities.
(iii) Availability of and access to postsecondary
credit and industry-recognized credentials in high-skill,
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high-demand occupations, especially those related to the
fields of science, technology, engineering and
mathematics.
(4) Develop a sustainable process for identifying and
addressing equity gaps in the career preparation delivery
system.
(5) Develop a sustainable process for identifying
opportunities to align this Commonwealth's education and
training pipeline in response to labor market needs,
including, but not limited to:
(i) Cataloging all funding sources, including
Federal, State and private, that can be utilized for
education, career training and work force preparation.
(ii) Reviewing funding streams for overlaps and gaps
with a special focus on identifying areas with
inequitable student access.
(iii) Developing and implementing plans to improve
alignment and more effectively prepare all secondary
students for postsecondary success in high-skill, high-
demand occupations.
(iv) Identifying strategies for leveraging and
aligning Federal, State and private funding sources.
(6) Create a public repository that includes, but is not
limited to, national and State model partnerships between
industry and education, career pathway programs in this
Commonwealth and other national and state best practices in
career readiness preparation.
(7) Coordinate Statewide and regional conventions to:
(i) highlight national and state best practices;
(ii) connect the work within this Commonwealth; and
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(iii) benchmark the work toward national standards.
(8) Develop and maintain a marketing, communications and
stakeholder engagement strategy, with a website and other
public materials, to be maintained by the executive director
and council staff.
(9) Obtain input from the following:
(i) Employers and employer organizations located in
this Commonwealth.
(ii) State System of Higher Education institutions,
State-related institutions, community colleges and
independent institutions of higher education.
(iii) Regional and local economic development
organizations.
(iv) Labor organizations located in this
Commonwealth.
(v) Individuals with expertise in career readiness
preparation activities.
(vi) Local workforce investment boards.
(vii) School entities.
(viii) Military and veterans organizations.
(ix) Organizations representing women, African-
Americans, Latinos and other significant minority
populations, and having an interest in issues of
particular concern to these populations.
(x) Any other individual or organization that a
majority of the voting members of the council determines
has information that is important for the council to
consider.
(b) Report.--The council shall submit an annual report to
the General Assembly, the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief
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Clerk of the House of Representatives that details the progress
made by the council according to the plan referenced under
subsection (a)(2), with accompanying recommendations for further
action to be taken.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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