SENATE BILL 92
52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016
INTRODUCED BY
Ted Barela
AN ACT
RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; ENACTING THE RAPID WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACT; CREATING THE RAPID WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD; CREATING THE RAPID WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUND; PROVIDING THE BOARD'S POWERS AND DUTIES; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Rapid Workforce Development Act".
SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] PURPOSE.--The purpose of the Rapid Workforce Development Act is to provide resources to quickly establish or expand programs in the state's institutions of higher education to train and educate New Mexico's workers for employment with:
A. existing New Mexico employers that expand their workforce; and
B. employers that establish operation in New Mexico and create new jobs for New Mexicans.
SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Rapid Workforce Development Act:
A. "board" means the rapid workforce development board;
B. "employer" means an individual, corporation, federally chartered corporation, limited liability company, partnership, nonprofit organization, joint venture, syndicate, association or Indian nation, tribe or pueblo that:
(1) currently transacts business in New Mexico and wishes to increase the number of people that it employs; or
(2) has chosen New Mexico as a location in which it will transact business and hire employees;
C. "fund" means the rapid workforce development fund;
D. "member" means a member of the board; and
E. "workforce" means those people who are currently engaged in or trained for employment.
SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] RAPID WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD CREATED--MEMBERSHIP.--The "rapid workforce development board" is created. The board is administratively attached to the economic development department and consists of the:
A. secretary of economic development or the secretary's designee;
B. secretary of higher education or the secretary's designee; and
C. secretary of workforce solutions or the secretary's designee.
SECTION 5. [NEW MATERIAL] RAPID WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUND CREATED.--The "rapid workforce development fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations and money otherwise accruing to the fund. Money in the fund is appropriated to the higher education department for use as provided in Section 6 of the Rapid Workforce Development Act. Money in the fund shall be disbursed on warrants signed by the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of higher education or the secretary's authorized representative. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.
SECTION 6. [NEW MATERIAL] BOARD MEMBER POWERS AND DUTIES.--
A. Members are entitled to be reimbursed pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance for service on the board.
B. The secretary of economic development shall:
(1) identify employers;
(2) work with an employer to determine:
(a) the number of New Mexico workers that the employer will employ when it begins to transact business in New Mexico or when it increases the number of workers it already employs in New Mexico; and
(b) the job skills, education and training those workers will require to obtain employment with the employer; and
(3) upon identification of an employer and determination of the employer's workforce needs, as provided in Paragraph (2) of this subsection, convene a meeting of the board.
C. The secretary of workforce solutions shall provide, with respect to an employer identified by the secretary of economic development:
(1) demographic information about the relevant workforce in New Mexico; and
(2) information about relevant workforce education and training opportunities that are available throughout New Mexico, including opportunities offered by or in connection with state post-secondary educational institutions.
D. The secretary of higher education shall provide, with respect to an employer's workforce needs, information about state post-secondary educational institutions through which relevant training and education could be delivered.
E. At a meeting of the board, the members shall:
(1) consider how an employer's plan to begin transacting business in New Mexico or to increase the number of people employed by the employer's New Mexico business would contribute to job creation, employment and economic development in New Mexico;
(2) consider the information provided pursuant to Subsections C and D of this section;
(3) consider whether money in the fund should be used to establish or support a program in a state post-secondary educational institution to train workers for prospective employment with the prospective employer; and
(4) upon unanimous agreement, authorize the secretary of higher education to use money in the fund to establish or support a program in a state post-secondary educational institution to train workers for prospective employment with the prospective employer.
SECTION 7. [NEW MATERIAL] TERMINATION OF AGENCY LIFE--DELAYED REPEAL.--The board is terminated on July 1, 2023 pursuant to the Sunset Act. The board shall continue to operate according to the provisions of the Rapid Workforce Development Act until July 1, 2024. Effective July 1, 2024, the Rapid Workforce Development Act is repealed.
SECTION 8. APPROPRIATION.--One million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the rapid workforce development fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2017 and subsequent fiscal years to carry out the purposes of the Rapid Workforce Development Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.
SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2016.
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