(a) There is established within the Labor Department a regional work force development board for each work force development region in the state. Each board shall assess the needs and priorities for investing in the development of human resources within the region and shall coordinate a broad range of employment, education, training and related services that shall be focused on client-centered, lifelong learning and shall be responsive to the needs of local business, industry, the region, its municipalities and its citizens.

(b) Each board, within its region, shall:

(1) Carry out the duties and responsibilities of a private industry council under the Job Training Partnership Act, provided the private industry council within the region elects by a vote of its members to become a board and the Labor Commissioner approves the council as a regional work force development board.

(2) Within existing resources and consistent with the state employment and training information system and any guidelines issued by the commissioner under subsection (b) of section 31-2, (A) assess regional needs and identify regional priorities for employment and training programs, including, but not limited to, an assessment of the special employment needs of unskilled and low-skilled unemployed persons, including persons receiving state-administered general assistance or short-term unemployment assistance, (B) conduct planning for regional employment and training programs, (C) coordinate such programs to ensure that the programs respond to the needs of labor, business and industry, municipalities within the region, the region as a whole, and all of its citizens, (D) serve as a clearinghouse for information on all employment and training programs in the region, (E) prepare and submit an annual plan containing the board’s priorities and goals for regional employment and training programs to the commissioner and the commission for their review and approval, (F) review grant proposals and plans submitted to state agencies for employment and training programs that directly affect the region to determine whether such proposals and plans are consistent with the annual regional plan prepared under subparagraph (E) of this subdivision and inform the commission and each state agency concerned of the results of the review, (G) evaluate the effectiveness of employment and training programs within the region in meeting the goals contained in the annual regional plan prepared under subparagraph (E) of this subdivision and report its findings to the commissioner and the commission on an annual basis, (H) ensure the effective use of available employment and training resources in the region, and (I) allocate funds where applicable for program operations in the region.

(3) Provide information to the commissioner concerning (A) all employment and training programs, grants or funds to be effective or available in the region in the following program year, (B) the source and purpose of such programs, grants or funds, (C) the projected amount of such programs, grants or funds, (D) persons, organizations and institutions eligible to participate in such programs or receive such grants or funds, (E) characteristics of clients eligible to receive services pursuant to such programs, grants or funds, (F) the range of services available pursuant to such programs, grants or funds, (G) goals of such programs, grants or funds, (H) where applicable, schedules for submitting requests for proposals, planning instructions, proposals and plans, in connection with such programs, grants or funds, (I) the program period for such programs, grants or funds, and (J) any other data relating to such programs, grants or funds that the commissioner or the commission deems essential for effective state planning.

(4) Carry out the duties and responsibilities of the local board for purposes of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as from time to time amended.

(5) Establish a worker training education committee comprised of persons from the education and business communities within the region, including, but not limited to, regional community-technical colleges and technical education and career schools.

(c) Each board shall make use of grants or contracts with appropriate service providers to furnish all program services under sections 31-3j to 31-3r, inclusive, unless the commission concurs with the board that direct provision of a service by the board is necessary to assure adequate availability of the service or that a service of comparable quality can be provided more economically by the board. Any board seeking to provide services directly shall include in the annual regional plan submitted to the commissioner and the commission under subparagraph (E) of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section its plan to provide services directly and appropriate justification for the need to do so. When the decision to provide services directly must be made between annual planning cycles, the board shall submit to the commissioner and the commission a plan of service and appropriate justification for the need to provide services directly. Such plan of service shall be subject to review and approval by the commission.

(d) On October 1, 2002, and annually thereafter, each board shall submit to the Labor Department comprehensive performance measures detailing the results of any education, employment or job training program or activity funded by moneys allocated to the board, including, but not limited to, programs and activities specified in the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as from time to time amended. Such performance measures shall include, but shall not be limited to, the identity and performance of any vendor that enters into a contract with the board to conduct, manage or assist with such programs or activities, the costs associated with such programs or activities, the number, gender and race of persons served by such programs or activities, the number, gender and race of persons completing such programs or activities, occupational skill types, the number, gender and race of persons who enter unsubsidized employment upon completion of such programs or activities, the number, gender and race of persons who remain in unsubsidized employment six months later and the earnings received by such persons.

(P.A. 92-145, S. 2, 10; P.A. 93-134, S. 1; P.A. 99-195, S. 4, 15; P.A. 01-97; P.A. 04-76, S. 33; P.A. 11-48, S. 93; P.A. 12-116, S. 87; P.A. 16-169, S. 24; 16-170, S. 2; P.A. 17-237, S. 103.)

History: P.A. 93-134 amended Subsec. (b)(1) to provide that a regional work force development board shall not automatically replace a private industry council, rather the members of the private industry council shall vote on, and the labor commissioner shall approve of, such replacement; P.A. 99-195 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), adding Subdivs. (4) and (5) requiring boards to carry out duties and responsibilities of local boards for purposes of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and to establish worker training education committees, effective June 23, 1999; P.A. 01-97 added Subsec. (d) re reporting of comprehensive performance measures to the Office of Workforce Competitiveness; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsec. (b)(2)(A) by replacing reference to “general assistance” with reference to “state-administered general assistance”; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (d) by replacing “Office of Workforce Competitiveness” with “Labor Department”, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 12-116, “regional vocational-technical schools” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “technical high schools” in Subsec. (b)(5), effective July 1, 2012; pursuant to P.A. 16-169, “Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128” in Subsecs. (b)(4) and (d); P.A. 16-170 amended Subsec. (b)(2) by deleting reference to annual plan; P.A. 17-237 amended Subsec. (b)(5) by replacing “technical high schools” with “technical education and career schools”, effective July 1, 2017.