2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 59. Professions and Occupations › §59-1000.4a. Additional powers - Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Fund.

A. The Construction Industries Board shall have the additional powers to:
1. Receive and convey information relating to the skilled trades regulated by the Construction Industries Board including, but not limited to, workforce development; and
2. Enter into contracts with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education or any Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education fully accredited vocational or technical school or system of education institution in the State of Oklahoma receiving state appropriations and offering programs in secondary and postsecondary instruction that provide electrical, mechanical, plumbing or roofing trade coursework for any of the following purposes, or combination thereof:
a.
developing and implementing instructional courses on Oklahoma Statutes and rules that govern the electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing trades, which courses can be in conjunction with instruction in performing trade work or instruction on statewide-adopted trade codes, or both, for the advancement of the electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing trades, or
b.
developing and implementing a workforce development program that will create interest in the pursuit of a skilled trade career. The workforce development program may consist of, but is not limited to, use of the Internet, community and school presentations, and research and instruction on the electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing trades.
B. All contracts pursuant to this section shall be approved by the Construction Industries Board in accordance with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. Costs of the contracts for education and workforce development programs shall be paid from the Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Fund established herein and funded by administrative fines or penalties as described in this section. Applications for proposals are to be submitted to the Board on forms provided requiring sufficient justification and information to evaluate costs, return on investment, value, and viability of the proposal. Any contracts will include the requirement that the recipient of the funds will, upon the completion of the contract, provide a written report to the Board providing an accounting of expenditures, describing an explanation of the funds used for the services provided and the success of outreach demonstrating a return on the investment including, but not limited to, an accounting of accomplishments.
C. Fines or penalties collected by the Board and deposited in the Oklahoma Mechanical Licensing Revolving Fund, the Electrical Revolving Fund, the Plumbing Licensing Revolving Fund and the Roofing Contractor Registration Revolving Fund may be transferred to the Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Fund created in subsection E of this section for the following purposes:
1. To develop instructional materials on Oklahoma laws, statutes and rules, as they relate to the plumbing, mechanical, electrical and roofing trades and state licensing standards;
2. To cover the cost of equipment, materials, personnel and any other costs of developing and implementing the trade curriculum; and
3. To cover the cost of equipment, materials, personnel and any other costs of developing and implementing the workforce development program used to promote the plumbing, mechanical, electrical and roofing trades as a career in Oklahoma.
D. The Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Fund monies shall be used only for the advancement of trade-related education and workforce development, and only if available based upon statutory limitations.
E. 1. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund for the Construction Industries Board to be designated the "Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Fund". The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations. The fund shall consist of an annual transfer of fully adjudicated fine revenue received in the Oklahoma Mechanical Licensing Revolving Fund, Electrical Revolving Fund, Plumbing Licensing Revolving Fund or Roofing Contractor Registration Revolving Fund as determined pursuant to this section. Funds may be transferred only from the prior fiscal year.
2. If actual receipts, not including fine receipts, exceed actual expenses and outstanding encumbrances, then one hundred percent (100%) of all fully adjudicated fine revenue received shall be transferred from each specific trade revolving fund: the Oklahoma Mechanical Licensing Revolving Fund, Electrical Revolving Fund, Plumbing Licensing Revolving Fund or Roofing Contractor Registration Revolving Fund.
3. If at any time the receipts in the Oklahoma Mechanical Licensing Revolving Fund, Electrical Revolving Fund, Plumbing Licensing Revolving Fund or Roofing Contractor Registration Revolving Fund, not including fine receipts, are less than actual expenses and outstanding encumbrances, then the difference of fine receipts over actual expenses and outstanding encumbrances, if any, shall be transferred.
4. If at any time the annual receipts in the Oklahoma Mechanical Licensing Revolving Fund, Electrical Revolving Fund, Plumbing Licensing Revolving Fund or Roofing Contractor Registration Revolving Fund, including fine receipts, are less than the actual expenses and outstanding encumbrances, there shall be no transfer of funds for that period.
5. All monies accruing to the credit of the Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Fund may be budgeted and expended by the Construction Industries Board for workforce development as it relates to the skilled trades and to contract for the services identified in this act. Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.
6. All unexpended or outstanding Skilled Trade Education and Workforce Development Funds from any written agreement where work or services have not been previously approved by specific quote or cost estimate and have not been performed within eighteen (18) months of the date the agreement was signed are hereby released from the agreement and are available for future agreements approved by the Board pursuant to this act, except for specific quotes, estimates, or invoices that previously have been approved for payment, performance has been initiated, and completed within twenty-four (24) months of the signed agreement.
Added by Laws 2018, c. 244, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2018. Amended by Laws 2023, c. 185, § 3, eff. July 1, 2023.