Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 1 - EXECUTIVE ORDERS › Section 1:2023-21

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Executive Order 2023-21
WHEREAS, the current structure of Oklahoma's workforce delivery
			 system suffers from a fragmentation of responsibilities and funding between
			 several state agencies, including but not limited to, the Department of
			 Commerce, the Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Oklahoma Employment
			 Security Commission, the State Regents for Higher Education and associated
			 institutions of higher education, the State Department of Career and Technology
			 Education, and the State Department of Education, as well as further
			 fragmentation due to the involvement of various local governmental entities;
			 and
WHEREAS, the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development ("OOWD")
			 currently houses Oklahoma Works, the State's workforce development initiative,
			 and administers the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ("WIOA")
			 Title 1 financially-assisted programs and activities under the U.S. Department
			 of Labor. OOWD is currently an operating division of the Oklahoma Department of
			 Commerce (ODOC"); and
WHEREAS, federal funding received by the State pursuant to WIOA
			 Titles I, II, III and IV are currently distributed to multiple state agencies,
			 resulting in administrative duplication and a lack of coordination; and
WHEREAS, best practices as observed in other states includes
			 designated a single point of funding and accountability to receive all federal
			 WIOA funding; and
WHEREAS, in order to maximize our economic effectiveness, save
			 taxpayer dollars, and assure that Oklahoma continues to be competitive with
			 other states and countries, it is essential that Oklahoma's WIOA funding and
			 programming be coordinated and administered in accordance with national best
			 practices; and
WHEREAS, Oklahoma has the talent, employers, and conditions
			 necessary to be a top performer in workforce development nationally and
			 Oklahomans deserve a coordinated workforce system that enables jobseekers to
			 find careers and employers to staff needed talent.
THEREFORE, I, J. Kevin Stitt, Governor of the State of Oklahoma,
			 pursuant to the power and authority vested in me by Sections
			 1 and
			 2 of Article VI of the Oklahoma
			 Constitution, and to the fullest extent permitted under Oklahoma and federal
			 law, hereby order that the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development, its
			 functions and employees, shall be transferred to and become an operating
			 division housed under the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, effective
			 immediately, except to the extent the Executive Director of the Oklahoma
			 Employment Security Commission determines otherwise.
It is further ordered that the Oklahoma Employment Security
			 Commission is hereby designated as the single point of funding and
			 accountability for WIOA programming in Oklahoma, and that all State agencies,
			 employees, boards, departments, councils, and any other State entity or actor
			 involved in WIOA funding and programming take whatever administrative action
			 necessary to ensure that all federal WIOA funding received from the federal
			 government be received and administered by OESC.
It is further ordered that OESC coordinate the administration of
			 all WIOA funding and programming with the Oklahoma Workforce Commission in
			 order to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the State's workforce
			 development efforts.
As a result of the transfer ordered herein, pursuant to Rules
			 260:25-15-11 and
			 260:25-15-12 of the Oklahoma
			 Administrative Code, all accrued annual and sick leave of employees of OOWD
			 shall be transferred from ODC to OESC effective immediately, except to the
			 extent the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission
			 determines otherwise.
This Executive Order shall be distributed to the Secretary of
			 Commerce, Secretary of Workforce, Executive Director of OESC, Executive
			 Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Executive
			 Director of ODOC, and the Executive Director of OOWD for immediate
			 implementation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the
			 Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma to be affixed at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
			 this 11th day of August, 2023.
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
J. Kevin Stitt
ATTEST:
Brian Bingman
Secretary of State