An Act Regarding the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1411
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: FECTEAU
Amends: 26 MRSA §2001, 26 MRSA §2004-A, 26 MRSA §2006, 26 MRSA §2007

Legislative Document
No. 1411
H.P. 1024
House of Representatives, March 26, 2019
An Act Regarding the Federal Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act
Reference to the Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FECTEAU of Biddeford.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §2001, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A.  State workforce development plan.  "State workforce development plan" 
means a state plan under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Sec. 2.  26 MRSA §2004-A, as amended by PL 2017, c. 110, §13, is further 
amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:
The State Workforce Board shall submit the state workforce development plan to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters for the 
committee's review prior to the plan being submitted to the Federal Government.
Sec. 3.  26 MRSA §2006, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2017, c. 110, §15, is further 
amended to read:
2.  Membership.  The board consists of members appointed by the Governor, subject 
to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
labor matters and to confirmation by the Legislature.
B.  Appointments must be consistent with the representation requirements of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, including representatives from business 
and industry, organized labor, state agencies responsible for human resource 
programs and educational and community-based institutions.
The Governor shall ensure that the board has sufficient expertise to effectively carry out 
the duties and functions of the board.
Sec. 4.  26 MRSA §2007, as amended by PL 2017, c. 110, §20, is further amended 
to read:
§2007.  Funding
Funds received from the United States pursuant to the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act must be deposited in the Employment Services Activity program 
account within the Department of Labor.  Funds must be deposited, administered and 
disbursed in the same manner and under the same conditions and requirements as 
provided by law for other federal funds in the State Treasury, except that if the Governor 
does not authorize disbursement of the federal funds within 30 days after receipt of the 
funds, the Treasurer of State shall disburse the funds in accordance with Title 2, section 4.  
The commissioner shall ensure that management and use of the federal funds comply 
with the requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.  Federal funds 
in the account do not lapse but must be carried forward to be used to implement the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
If the Governor does not authorize disbursement of state funds made available to be 
used to implement the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act within 30 days after 
the funds are made available, the Treasurer of State shall disburse the funds.
Sec. 5.  Application.  That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 26, section 2006, subsection 2 applies to all appointments and 
reappointments of members to the State Workforce Board, pursuant to Title 26, section 
2006, commencing after the effective date of this Act.
SUMMARY
This bill amends provisions related to the federal Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act.  It makes appointment of members to the State Workforce Board 
subject to confirmation by the Legislature.  It requires the State Workforce Board to 
submit the state workforce development plan to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters prior to the plan being submitted to the 
Federal Government.  It directs the Treasurer of State to disburse federal funds received 
pursuant to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and state funds made 
available to be used to implement that Act if the Governor does not authorize 
disbursement of the funds within 30 days after the funds are received or made available.