HARRISBURG – The state House last Tuesday passed a bill (H.B. 1795) introduced by state Rep. W. Curtis Thomas that would establish youth councils within local workforce investment boards.
“I’m very pleased by the support this legislation received by my colleagues in the House,” said Thomas, D-Phila. “This legislation will help to establish a pattern of success for young people across Pennsylvania.”
The legislation would establish a youth council within each local workforce investment board to:
• Develop the portions of the local plan relating to eligible youth as determined by the chairperson of the local workforce investment board;
• Recommend eligible providers of youth activities to be awarded grants or contracts on a competitive basis by the local workforce investment board to carry out the youth activities and conduct oversight with respect to the eligible providers of youth activities;
• Coordinate youth activities in the local area; and
• Perform other duties as determined to be appropriate by the chairperson of the local workforce investment board.
The purpose of workforce investment boards is to continually maintain a unified system of Pennsylvania’s existing federal and state work-force development programs in order for the state to maintain a competitive advantage.
State Workforce Investment Board members are appointed by the governor and represent a cross-section of business executives, labor officials, education leaders, economic development practitioners and local elected officials. In addition, the cabinet secretaries of five state agencies, as well as four members of the General Assembly, serve on the state board.
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