Sec. D-1. 3 MRSA §959, sub-§1, ¶I, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 488, §2, is amended to read:
I. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters shall use the following list as a guideline for scheduling reviews:
(1) Maine State Retirement System in 1997;
(2) Department of Labor in 1999;
(3) Maine Labor Relations Board in 2001; and
(4) Workers' Compensation Board in 2001; and.
(5) Maine Occupational Information Coordinating Committee in 2001.
Sec. D-2. 26 MRSA §803, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §23, is repealed.
Sec. D-3. 26 MRSA c. 11, sub-c. I, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. D-4. 26 MRSA §1452, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 410, §10, is repealed.
Sec. D-5. 26 MRSA §1453, as amended by PL 1987, c. 534, Pt. B, §§17, 18 and 23, is repealed.
Sec. D-6. 26 MRSA §1454, as amended by PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. G, §17 and affected by §29, is repealed.
Sec. D-7. 26 MRSA §2006, sub-§5, ¶¶E and F, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 410, §12 and affected by §13, are amended to read:
E. Provide policy recommendations to ensure the effectiveness of work-related programs and services for youth, including youth with disabilities, and report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters by January 15, 1999; and
F. Provide policy recommendations to ensure the effectiveness of work-related programs and services for "at-risk" youth, and report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters by January 15, 2000; and .
Sec. D-8. 26 MRSA §2006, sub-§5, ¶G, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 410, §12 and affected by §13, is repealed.
Sec. D-9. 26 MRSA §2006, sub-§§5-A to 5-D are enacted to read:
5-A. Apprenticeship. In addition to its other duties, the council, through its Standing Committee on Apprenticeship, shall perform the duties of the former State Apprenticeship and Training Council.
A. As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
(1) "Apprentice" means a person at least 16 years of age who is employed under an apprenticeship agreement to work at and learn a specific occupation and is registered with the council.
(2) "Apprentice agreement" means a written agreement that is entered into by an apprentice or organization of employees with an employer or an association of employers and provides for the apprentice's participation in a definite sequence of job training and for such related and supplemental instruction as may be determined necessary for the apprentice to qualify as a journeyman in a particular occupation.
(3) "Committee" means the council's Standing Committee on Apprenticeship.
(4) "Journeyman upgrading" means continued related instruction advocated for by a sponsor, including joint apprenticeship and training committees or employers, for an individual who has fulfilled a bona fide apprenticeship as determined by the committee. Enrollment criteria are established by the committee.
(5) "Sponsor" means an employer or a potential employer.
B. The committee is composed of 12 voting members appointed by the Governor and made up as follows: 4 members must be representatives of employees and be bona fide members of a recognized major labor organization; 4 members must be representatives of employers and be bona fide employers or authorized representatives of bona fide employers; and 4 members must be representatives of the public, selected from neither industrial employers nor employees, nor may they be directly concerned with any particular industrial employer or employee. At least 2 members who are representatives of the public must represent the interests of women, minorities and recipients of aid to families with dependent children who are in registered apprenticeships. Each member holds office until a successor is appointed and qualified, and any vacancy must be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. The chair of the committee must be a member of the committee and is named by the members of the committee. The Commissioner of Labor or a designee, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or a designee, the Commissioner of Education or a designee, the chair of the council or a member designee and the President of the Maine Technical College System or a designee are nonvoting ex officio members of the committee.
C. The committee shall:
(1) Establish standards, through joint action of employers and employees, assist in the development of registered apprenticeship programs in conformity with this subsection and generally encourage and promote the establishment of registered apprenticeship programs;
(2) Register or terminate, or cancel the registration of, apprenticeship programs and apprenticeship agreements, including journeyman upgrading;
(3) Authorize and issue certificates of completion of apprenticeship to apprentices who have been certified by a joint apprenticeship committee or employer as having satisfactorily completed their training;
(4) Keep a record of registered programs and apprentice agreements, including the number of women and minority apprentices by occupation and the number of occupations that are nontraditional for women;
(5) Adopt rules necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this subsection. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A;
(6) Make an annual report by March 1st of each year to the Governor, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over business and economic development matters. The report must include, for each business assisted under this subsection, the name and location of each business, the number of apprentices, the return on investment and, when applicable, the number of new jobs created;
(7) Ensure availability and oversee coordination of related and supplemental instruction for apprentices; and
(8) Develop a biennial plan in consultation with the Department of Labor and develop an evaluation tool and process that facilitates a review of the apprenticeship program outcomes based on the committee's biennial goals and objectives. As a result of this process, the committee may initiate programs that promote apprenticeship and work force development.
D. Committee meetings are held quarterly and as often as is necessary in the opinion of a majority of the committee. The chair shall designate the time and place of the meetings and the staff shall notify all committee members at least one week in advance of each meeting. A majority of the membership of the committee constitutes a quorum, as long as each of the groups in paragraph B has at least one representative present.
E. Standards for apprentice agreements must contain the following:
(1) A statement of the occupation to be taught and the required hours for completion of apprenticeship;
(2) A statement of the major work processes in the occupation to be taught and the approximate amount of time to be spent at each process;
(3) A statement of educational subjects to be studied and mastered, including on-the-job-training work experience. An agreement must state the number of hours required to complete an apprenticeship and indicate the approximate number of hours spent in each process and each training component;
(4) A statement that the apprentices may not be less than 16 years of age;
(5) A statement of the progressively increasing scale of wages to be paid the apprentice;
(6) A period of probation during which the committee shall terminate the apprentice agreement upon the written request of any party to the apprentice agreement. After the probationary period, the committee may terminate the registration of an apprentice upon agreement of the parties;
(7) A statement that, when differences arising out of the apprentice agreement can not be adjudged locally or in accordance with the occupation's established procedures, the services of the committee may be used for consultation regarding the settlement of the differences;
(8) A statement that if an employer is unable to fulfill its obligation under the apprentice agreement, the employer may transfer the obligation to another employer;
(9) A statement that there may be no discrimination based on sex, race, creed or color in employing apprentices; and
(10) Additional standards as may be prescribed in accordance with this subsection.
F. The committee may establish local, regional and state joint apprenticeship committees in any
occupation or group of occupations, in cities, regions of the State or occupation areas whenever the apprentice training needs of the occupation or group of occupations justify the establishment. These local, regional or state joint apprenticeship committees are composed of an equal number of employer and employee representatives, selected by the respective local or state employer and employee organizations in the occupation or group of occupations, and any advisory members representing local boards or other agencies as may be advisable. Each local, regional or state joint apprenticeship committee must include an even number of voting members with expertise in issues related to women, minorities or recipients of aid to families with dependent children who are in apprenticeships, 1/2 to be chosen by the employer representatives and 1/2 to be chosen by the employee representatives. In an occupation or group of occupations in which there is no bona fide employer or employee organization, a joint apprenticeship committee may be composed of persons known to represent the interests of employers and of employees, or a state joint apprenticeship committee may be approved as the joint apprenticeship committee in that occupation or group of occupations. Subject to the review of the committee and in accordance with standards established by the committee, the joint apprenticeship committees may devise standards for apprenticeship agreements and give necessary aid to their respective occupations and localities. The activities of the joint apprenticeship committees must comply with all applicable affirmative action rules adopted by the committee.
G. This subsection, or any apprentice agreement approved under this subsection, does not invalidate an apprenticeship provision in a collective bargaining agreement between employers and employees that sets up higher apprenticeship standards. None of the terms or provisions of this subsection applies to any person, firm, corporation or craft unless the person, firm, corporation or craft voluntarily elects to be subject to the terms and provisions of this subsection.
H. In carrying out its duties on a state level, the committee shall employ personnel in the Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Services.
(1) The Bureau of Employment Services must have a director of apprenticeship and training who supervises the execution of agreements and the maintenance of standards.
(2) The Bureau of Employment Services shall keep a record of apprentice agreements and programs and ensure that all aspects of related and supplemental instruction are delivered and coordinated in a timely manner.
(3) Apprenticeship field staff may be retained by agreements between the Bureau of Employment Services and its service provider network. Field staff are responsible for promoting apprenticeships to employers, writing apprenticeship programs and carrying out delegated council duties.
(4) The committee's budget request must be incorporated into the overall budget of the Department of Labor.
(5) The Commissioner of Labor is ultimately responsible for selecting and supervising all personnel employed by the committee, providing adequate staff support to the committee and disbursing funds according to committee policy.
I. The Maine Technical College System remains the primary vendor for apprenticeship-related instruction according to a biennial articulation agreement with the Department of Labor.
(1) The committee shall cooperate with the Department of Education, local school authorities, such as adult education and applied technology centers, and other groups in organizing and establishing related or supplemental instruction for apprentices employed under approved agreements.
(2) An educational institution or apprenticeship sponsor may provide related and supplemental instruction according to the policies established by the committee. Educational providers shall identify a contact person for the committee staff. As funds permit, the Department of Labor shall underwrite 50% of tuition costs for apprentices in good standing at public educational institutions and provide tuition assistance to sponsor groups in accordance with committee policies. To ensure that adequate funds are available for tuition, the committee shall provide the Commissioner of Labor with its biennial plan, including projected apprenticeship enrollments and a subsequent budget request.
(3) The committee shall assist the Department of Education, the State's technical colleges, local school authorities, such as adult education and applied technology
centers, and other groups in developing training courses to establish preapprenticeship training programs if the technical colleges, local schools and other groups wish to do so. Successful completion of preapprenticeship training programs enables a participant to meet the qualifying standards of the apprenticeship for which the participant has expressed serious interest. All preapprenticeship training programs are subject to approval by the committee.
J. The committee shall cooperate with the Department of Labor and the Department of Economic and Community Development in matters relating to work force and economic development.
K. The committee shall cooperate and consult with the Department of Corrections to develop policies concerning issues of job safety for prisoners involved in prison industries programs, work release programs and job displacement created by those programs and to develop opportunities for jobs in the prison industries programs consistent with Title 34-A, section 1403, subsection 9.
L. The committee shall cooperate, consult and coordinate with groups that help people on welfare find jobs. The committee shall also cooperate with other relevant groups to identify obstacles that may prevent women and recipients of aid to families with dependent children from participating in registered apprenticeships, and the necessary measures to be taken to overcome them.
M. Committee field staff are responsible for identifying and contacting potential sponsors with whom apprenticeship programs may be developed. Staff may receive business referrals from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, local work force development centers, business visitation programs, local chambers of commerce, the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Labor's Employer Assistance Division. Staff and committee members may regularly conduct presentations to employer groups, schools and other interested parties and develop brochures, public service announcements and promotional videotapes for the purpose of promoting apprenticeship.
N. Committee staff may provide apprenticeship sponsors with technical assistance that encourages high-quality job creation, reorganizes a workplace to help it remain competitive, upgrades worker skills by providing essential work competencies, occupational task analysis and instructor training and encourages affirmative action and recruitment of special populations.
O. All apprentice and training programs established under this subsection must conform to 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 29 and 30, and any subsequent applicable provisions. The Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training is available as a resource to the committee.
5-B. Employment of people with disabilities. In addition to its other duties, the council, through its Standing Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, referred to in this subsection as the "committee," shall perform the duties of the former Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
A. The committee shall:
(1) Advise, consult and assist the executive and legislative branches of State Government on activities of State Government that affect the employment of disabled individuals. The committee is solely advisory in nature. The committee may advise regarding state and federal plans and proposed budgetary, legislative or policy actions affecting disabled individuals;
(2) Serve as an advocate on behalf of disabled citizens promoting and assisting activities designed to further equal opportunity for people with disabilities;
(3) Conduct educational programs considered necessary to promote public understanding of the needs and abilities of disabled citizens of this State;
(4) Provide information, training and technical assistance to promote greater employer acceptance of disabled workers;
(5) Advise and assist employers and other organizations interested in developing employment opportunities for disabled people; and
(6) Inform the public of the benefits of making buildings accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities; monitor the enforcement of state and federal laws regarding architectural accessibility; and advise and assist building owners by disseminating information about accessibility and by making technical assistance available when appropriate.
(a) A wheelchair symbol must be appropriately displayed to identify buildings with facilities that are accessible to disabled and elderly individuals; accessibility is determined by the committee.
(b) The symbol required in division (a) must be that adopted by the Rehabilitation International's World Congress in 1969.
(c) Application for display of the wheelchair symbol must be made by the committee, which shall obtain and keep on file a supply of symbols.
B. The committee shall administer in accordance with current fiscal and accounting regulations of the State, and in accordance with the philosophy, objectives and authority of this subsection, any funds appropriated for expenditure by the committee or any grants or gifts that may become available and are accepted and received by the committee.
C. The committee shall submit an annual report directly to the Governor and the Legislature not later than September 1st of each year concerning its work, recommendations and interest of the previous fiscal year and future plans. The committee shall make any interim reports it considers advisable.
D. The committee shall keep minutes of all meetings, including a list of people in attendance.
E. The committee may employ, subject to the Civil Service Law, the staff necessary to carry out its objectives. The committee may employ consultants and contract for projects it determines necessary. To the extent feasible and reasonable, the committee must be given the staff, facilities, equipment, supplies, information and other assistance required to carry out its activities.
F. The committee may make necessary rules, not inconsistent with this subsection, for promoting its purposes.
G. The committee may receive and accept, from any source, allocations, appropriations, loans, grants and contributions of money or other things of value to be held, used or applied to carry out this subsection, subject to the conditions upon which the loans, grants and contributions may be made, including, but not limited to, appropriations, allocations, loans, grants or gifts from a private source, federal agency or governmental subdivision of the State or its agencies.
5-C. Occupational information. In addition to its other duties, the council shall perform the duties of the former Maine Occupational Information Coordinating Committee.
A. The council shall:
(1) Support the development, maintenance and operation of the Comprehensive Career, Occupational and Economic Data-based System, established in section 1451, and foster communication and coordination of education, employment and training programs through the use of the system;
(2) Develop and implement an overall system for coordinating and delivering occupational and economic supply and demand information, using standardized techniques as feasible, to employment, training, applied technology education and vocational rehabilitation agencies; economic development agencies; private industry; and individuals;
(3) Facilitate the use of occupational and economic information in planning and allocating employment, training, applied technology education and vocational rehabilitation programs;
(4) Facilitate the use of career and occupational information in both school and nonschool settings through promotion and support of career education programs and activities;
(5) Provide the Governor with the comprehensive occupational and economic information required to improve the coordination of employment, training, applied technology education and vocational rehabilitation programs to meet commonly defined needs; and
(6) Recommend to the Governor legislative and executive initiatives designed to increase the utility of the Comprehensive Career, Occupational and Economic Data-based System as the system relates to a more effective coordination of employment, training, applied technology education and vocational rehabilitation programs, especially as these programs support economic development initiatives as the system relates to industrial recruitment and expansion efforts, and as the system relates to the delivery of career
information to those involved in the career decision-making process.
B. The Executive Director of the Bureau of Employment Services may appoint, subject to the Civil Service Law, personnel authorized by the council and necessary to carry out the duties in this subsection.
C. The council may accept gifts, grants or other money from any source and may enter into contracts, charge fees and make grants for services consistent with this subsection.
5-D. Human resource development. In addition to its other duties, the council shall perform the duties of the former Human Resource Development Council.
A. The council shall:
(1) Perform all duties and responsibilities of the State Job Training Coordinating Council as defined in the United States Job Training Partnership Act, Section 122;
(2) Enable the implementation of state human resource development goals which include, but are not limited to:
(a) Developing a multiagency cooperative approach;
(b) Creating greater coordination between economic development and human resource development agencies;
(c) Enhancing employment and training services for groups traditionally not part of the economic mainstream;
(d) Coordinating with secondary and postsecondary educational systems to improve transition from school to work; and
(e) Increasing retraining and upgrading opportunities for the State's workers;
(3) Following the general requirements of the State Human Resource Development Policy, identify, in cooperation with appropriate state agencies and other interested parties such as the Private Industry Council, the employment and training and applied technology education needs throughout the State;
(4) Assess the extent to which employment and training, applied technology education, welfare recipient job training, rehabilitation services, public assistance, economic development and other federal, state and local programs represent a consistent, integrated and coordinated approach to the delivery of those services;
(5) Based on its assessment of the need for better coordination of the delivery of services listed in subparagraph (3), recommend to the Governor and Legislature the Human Resource Development Coordination Criteria affecting agencies involved with human resource development. This document must contain the elements of the United States Job Training Partnership Act, Section 121, and the coordination requirements derived from the State Human Resources Development Policy. The coordination requirements of the Human Resource Development Coordination Criteria must be communicated to affected state, federal and local agencies through planning instructions issued by the Department of Labor;
(6) Review the plans of all state agencies identified in the Human Resource Development Coordination Criteria, advise the Governor and Legislature on these plans and certify their consistency with the criteria contained in the Human Resource Development Coordination Criteria;
(7) Review and comment annually on the reports required pursuant to the federal Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984, Public Law 98-524, Sections 113(b)(9), 113(c)(1) and 114(a)(1), as amended; review and comment on the state plan developed by the state employment service agency; and review and comment pursuant to the federal Family Support Act of 1988, Public Law 100-998, Section 483(a)(2) on the state plan developed by the state income maintenance agency;
(8) Recommend to the Governor an annual State Human Resource Development Plan, which describes the human resource development services and numbers of participants to be served by all agencies identified in the Human Resource Development Coordination Criteria;
(9) Review the operation of programs identified in the State Human Resource De-
velopment Plan and determine the responsiveness, adequacy and coordination of those programs and recommend to the Governor, the Legislature and other interested entities ways to improve the effectiveness of the programs;
(10) Prepare an annual report, which is a public document, to the Governor and Legislature and issue other studies, reports or documents advisable in carrying out the purposes of this subsection;
(11) Recommend to the Governor and Legislature service delivery areas within the State, as well as areas, grantees and procedures within the State for the selection of representatives pursuant to the United States Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act, Public Law 100-418;
(12) Recommend resource allocations under the United States Job Training Partnership Act, Titles I, II and III, that are not subject to the United States Job Training Partnership Act, Section 202(a);
(13) Develop appropriate relationships with other programs;
(14) Coordinate activities with Private Industry Councils;
(15) Recommend variations in performance standards and include those recommendations in the Human Resource Development Coordination Criteria; and
(16) Submit comments to the Governor on plans and programs for dislocated workers, as required under the United States Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act, Public Law 100-418.
B. The council has the necessary authority to carry out the purposes of this section.
C. The Commissioner of Labor may appoint employees necessary to carry out the council's responsibility under this subsection.
D. The Commissioner of Labor may adopt rules, in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, necessary to carry out the council's responsibility under this subsection.
Sec. D-10. 26 MRSA §2006, sub-§7, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 410, §12 and affected by §13, is amended to read:
A. The council shall create 4 standing committees of up to 12 members. Each standing committee may include up to 4 noncouncil members appointed by the council chair and drawn from the same constituency groups as the council's membership. The standing committees shall make recommendations to the full council. The 4 standing committees are as follows:
(1) Apprenticeship, with its membership divided evenly among representatives from business and industry, labor and the public. The council, through its Standing Subcommittee on Apprenticeship, will function as the State Apprenticeship Council based on the Apprenticeship Council's existing or successor language specified in subsection 5-A, paragraph B;
(2) School-to-work;
(3) Employment of people with disabilities; and
(4) Women's employment issues.
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