GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
S	1
SENATE BILL 1012
     

 
Short Title:	Good Government Workforce Development Act.	()	
Sponsors:	Senators Foxx;  Ballantine, Berger, Bingham, Carpenter, Forrester, Horton, Rucho, Shaw of Guilford, and Webster.	
Referred to:	Appropriations/Base Budget.	
April 5, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR better government services through AN EFFECTIVE, COORDINATED workforce development EFFORT and by eliminating vacant state government positions.

Whereas, there are currently 47 workforce development programs operating within seven State agencies; and
Whereas, the myriad workforce development programs throughout State government have often overlapping missions and services, serve a variety of constituencies, and are being offered with differing degrees of effectiveness; and
Whereas, more than $1.4 billion dollars are spent annually on these workforce development programs; and
Whereas, the recommendations of the North Carolina Government Performance Audit Committee included consolidating, under the Department of Labor, the State's worker training and other labor related functions and the Employment Security Commission; and
Whereas, the State Auditor has recommended the consolidation of the State's workforce development programs; and
Whereas, over the past several years various study commissions have endorsed consolidation of State workforce development programs; and 
Whereas, good government in North Carolina requires improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the State's workforce development effort through consolidation; and
Whereas, there are 636 positions in State government that have been vacant for more than nine months; and
Whereas, the elimination of these vacant positions in State government employment will provide for cost savings of $19 million dollars and for better personnel management; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a) This act shall amend the laws of North Carolina to provide for good government by consolidating the State's workforce development functions and by instituting certain requirements, as follows:
(1)	The workforce development programs listed in this subdivision shall be transferred to the Department of Labor:
a.	The Governor's Commission on Workforce Preparedness.
b.	Employment Security Commission.
c.	The Division of Employment and Training.
d.	The Work First program.
e.	The Food Stamp Employment and Training Program.
f.	The Job Corps Outreach and Recruitment Program.
g.	The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
(2)	Upon the transfer and consolidation of workforce development programs under the Department of Labor, the Department shall find efficiencies to result in at least a four percent (4%) cost savings to the State.
(3)	The Department of Public Instruction, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Community Colleges System shall find efficiencies in their respective job training programs to result in at least a two percent (2%) cost savings to the State.
SECTION 1.(b) Positions in State government employment that have been vacant for more than nine months shall be abolished.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.