S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2337
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 18, 2011
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SCHIMMINGER, GUNTHER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
of A. COOK, DESTITO, KOLB, MORELLE, TOWNS -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and
Industry
AN ACT to amend the urban development corporation act and the labor law,
in relation to eliminating the department of labor from the management
of the strategic training alliance program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 16-j of section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of
1968, constituting the urban development corporation act, as amended by
chapter 624 of the laws of 1999, is amended to read as follows:
S 16-j. Strategic training alliance program. 1. Program created.
Pursuant to this section [and article 24-A of the labor law] there is
hereby established within the corporation [and the department of labor]
a strategic training alliance program to identify and address employer
demands for skilled workers. The corporation [and the department of
labor] may cooperate with the department of economic development, the
state university of New York, the city university of New York, THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, and the state education department, in providing
support within amounts available for the program for training activities
by an eligible applicant which is defined as an employer or an employer
in conjunction with a labor organization, a strategic alliance or
network or association of employers with common problems or concerns, a
private industry council established pursuant to the federal job train-
ing partnership act (P.L. 97-300) [or], one or more local workforce
investment boards established pursuant to the federal workforce invest-
ment act (P.L. 105-300) OR AN ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER representing a
strategic alliance.
2. Project plans. (a) Project plans shall be submitted to the corpo-
ration [or the department of labor] by applicants. The corporation [and
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06178-01-1
A. 2337 2
the department of labor] shall, upon receipt of project plans, [jointly]
review such plans in order to assure that they are approved or disap-
proved within the time limits set forth in paragraph (c) of this subdi-
vision.
(b) Plans submitted pursuant to this article shall include:
(i) documentation of the need for such training;
(ii) the type of training and the number of individuals to be trained;
(iii) a commitment of a cash or in-kind contribution to the cost of
the project;
(iv) a commitment to first consider individuals who are unemployed,
dislocated, or economically disadvantaged for employment in positions
created as a result of training;
(v) the identification of an eligible training provider which is
defined as a community college, agricultural and technical college, an
institution of higher education, a local education agency, a community
based organization [or]; a strategic alliance PROVIDING TRAINING IN
COOPERATION WITH ANOTHER TRAINING PROVIDER;
(vi) the identification of specific projects to be assisted; and,
(vii) a description of technologies to be used to disseminate the
training to participating employers.
(c) The corporation [and the department of labor] shall [jointly]
approve or disapprove project plans within thirty days of receipt of
such plans.
3. Assistance. (a) Assistance provided by the corporation to eligible
applicants pursuant to [the joint approval involving the department of
labor set forth in] this [article] SECTION shall be used for the costs
of classroom training, curriculum development, and training materials
associated with on the job training, skills upgrading, skills retrain-
ing, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS WHICH SHALL NOT EXCEED FIVE PERCENT OF THE
TOTAL OF THE APPROVED PROJECT BUDGET WHERE THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT IS A
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE OR NETWORK OR ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYEES WITH COMMON
CONCERNS OR AN ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER REPRESENTING A STRATEGIC ALLI-
ANCE, and basic skills training; and
(b) The corporation [and the department of labor] shall ensure that:
(i) not less than twenty percent of the program funds are used in
support of projects that assist small businesses as defined in section
[one hundred thirty-one] 131 of the economic development law; and
(ii) not less than twenty percent of program funds are used in support
of projects that assist strategic alliances or networks or associations
of employers with common problems or concerns.
(c) The corporation [and the department of labor] may within amounts
available for the program provide additional funds for regional and
statewide initiatives that lead to the development and implementation of
an electronically supported training and workforce education system.
4. Report and evaluation. (a) The corporation [and the department of
labor] shall report to the legislature annually identifying the employ-
ers or alliances receiving training assistance, the type of training
provided, and the number of individuals trained and newly hired includ-
ing those who were previously unemployed or economically disadvantaged.
(b) The corporation [and the department of labor] shall also provide
for an independent evaluation of the program on or before June 1, 2002,
and every three years after. The cost of such evaluation shall be
deemed to be an eligible expense of the New York state strategic train-
ing alliance program.
S 2. Section 850 of the labor law, as added by chapter 624 of the laws
of 1999, is amended to read as follows:
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S 850. Legislative findings and objectives. The federal Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), establishes a flexible state
framework for a national workforce preparation and employment system
designed to meet the needs of the state's businesses, job seekers,
incumbent workers and economic development priorities. The department
shall be the state's lead workforce investment and development agency.
[The state strategic training alliance program has been established
jointly within the department and the urban development corporation to
leverage maximum federal workforce investment act resources to address
businesses' demand for a skilled workforce to ensure the continued
economic growth of the state and minimize duplication of services among
partner agencies.]
S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.