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The Florida Senate

2016 Florida Statutes

SECTION 007
Local workforce development boards.
F.S. 445.007
445.007 Local workforce development boards.
(1) One workforce development board shall be appointed in each designated service delivery area and shall serve as the local workforce development board pursuant to Pub. L. No. 113-128. The membership of the board must be consistent with Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 107(b). If a public education or training provider is represented on the board, a representative of a private education provider must also be appointed to the board. CareerSource Florida, Inc., may waive this requirement if requested by a local workforce development board if it is demonstrated that such representatives do not exist in the region. The importance of minority and gender representation shall be considered when making appointments to the board. The board, its committees, subcommittees, and subdivisions, and other units of the workforce system, including units that may consist in whole or in part of local governmental units, may use any method of telecommunications to conduct meetings, including establishing a quorum through telecommunications, provided that the public is given proper notice of the telecommunications meeting and reasonable access to observe and, when appropriate, participate. Local workforce development boards are subject to chapters 119 and 286 and s. 24, Art. I of the State Constitution. If the local workforce development board enters into a contract with an organization or individual represented on the board of directors, the contract must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the board, a quorum having been established, and the board member who could benefit financially from the transaction must abstain from voting on the contract. A board member must disclose any such conflict in a manner that is consistent with the procedures outlined in s. 112.3143. Each member of a local workforce development board who is not otherwise required to file a full and public disclosure of financial interests pursuant to s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or s. 112.3144 shall file a statement of financial interests pursuant to s. 112.3145. The executive director or designated person responsible for the operational and administrative functions of the local workforce development board who is not otherwise required to file a full and public disclosure of financial interests pursuant to s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or s. 112.3144 shall file a statement of financial interests pursuant to s. 112.3145.
(2)(a) The local workforce development board shall elect a chair from among the representatives described in Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 107(b)(2)(A) to serve for a term of no more than 2 years and shall serve no more than two terms.
(b) The Governor may remove a member of the board, the executive director of the board, or the designated person responsible for the operational and administrative functions of the board for cause. As used in this paragraph, the term “cause” includes, but is not limited to, engaging in fraud or other criminal acts, incapacity, unfitness, neglect of duty, official incompetence and irresponsibility, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, or lack of performance.
(3) The Department of Economic Opportunity, under the direction of CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall assign staff to meet with each local workforce development board annually to review the board’s performance and to certify that the board is in compliance with applicable state and federal law.
(4) In addition to the duties and functions specified by CareerSource Florida, Inc., and by the interlocal agreement approved by the local county or city governing bodies, the local workforce development board shall have the following responsibilities:
(a) Develop, submit, ratify, or amend the local plan pursuant to Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 108 and this act.
(b) Conclude agreements necessary to designate the fiscal agent and administrative entity. A public or private entity, including an entity established pursuant to s. 163.01, which makes a majority of the appointments to a local workforce development board may serve as the board’s administrative entity if approved by CareerSource Florida, Inc., based upon a showing that a fair and competitive process was used to select the administrative entity.
(c) Complete assurances required for the charter process of CareerSource Florida, Inc., and provide ongoing oversight related to administrative costs, duplicated services, career counseling, economic development, equal access, compliance and accountability, and performance outcomes.
(d) Oversee the one-stop delivery system in its local area.
(5) CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall implement a training program for the local workforce development boards to familiarize board members with the state’s workforce development goals and strategies.
(6) The local workforce development board shall designate all local service providers and may not transfer this authority to a third party. Consistent with the intent of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, local workforce development boards should provide the greatest possible choice of training providers to those who qualify for training services. A local workforce development board may not restrict the choice of training providers based upon cost, location, or historical training arrangements. However, a board may restrict the amount of training resources available to any one client. Such restrictions may vary based upon the cost of training in the client’s chosen occupational area. The local workforce development board may be designated as a one-stop operator and direct provider of intake, assessment, eligibility determinations, or other direct provider services except training services. Such designation may occur only with the agreement of the chief elected official and the Governor as specified in 29 U.S.C. s. 2832(f)(2). CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall establish procedures by which a local workforce development board may request permission to operate under this section and the criteria under which such permission may be granted. The criteria shall include, but need not be limited to, a reduction in the cost of providing the permitted services. Such permission shall be granted for a period not to exceed 3 years for any single request submitted by the local workforce development board.
(7) Local workforce development boards shall adopt a committee structure consistent with applicable federal law and state policies established by CareerSource Florida, Inc.
(8) The importance of minority and gender representation shall be considered when appointments are made to any committee established by the local workforce development board.
(9) For purposes of procurement, local workforce development boards and their administrative entities are not state agencies and are exempt from chapters 120 and 287. The local workforce development boards shall apply the procurement and expenditure procedures required by federal law and policies of the Department of Economic Opportunity and CareerSource Florida, Inc., for the expenditure of federal, state, and nonpass-through funds. The making or approval of smaller, multiple payments for a single purchase with the intent to avoid or evade the monetary thresholds and procedures established by federal law and policies of the Department of Economic Opportunity and CareerSource Florida, Inc., is grounds for removal for cause. Local workforce development boards, their administrative entities, committees, and subcommittees, and other workforce units may authorize expenditures to award suitable framed certificates, pins, or other tokens of recognition for performance by units of the workforce system. Local workforce development boards; their administrative entities, committees, and subcommittees; and other workforce units may authorize expenditures for promotional items, such as t-shirts, hats, or pens printed with messages promoting Florida’s workforce system to employers, job seekers, and program participants. However, such expenditures are subject to federal regulations applicable to the expenditure of federal funds. All contracts executed by local workforce development boards must include specific performance expectations and deliverables.
(10) State and federal funds provided to the local workforce development boards may not be used directly or indirectly to pay for meals, food, or beverages for board members, staff, or employees of local workforce development boards, CareerSource Florida, Inc., or the Department of Economic Opportunity except as expressly authorized by state law. Preapproved, reasonable, and necessary per diem allowances and travel expenses may be reimbursed. Such reimbursement shall be at the standard travel reimbursement rates established in s. 112.061 and shall be in compliance with all applicable federal and state requirements. CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall develop a statewide fiscal policy applicable to the state board and all local workforce development boards, to hold both the state and local workforce development boards strictly accountable for adherence to the policy and subject to regular and periodic monitoring by the Department of Economic Opportunity, the administrative entity for CareerSource Florida, Inc. Boards are prohibited from expending state or federal funds for entertainment costs and recreational activities for board members and employees as these terms are defined by 2 C.F.R. part 230.
(11) To increase transparency and accountability, a local workforce development board must comply with the requirements of this section before contracting with a member of the board or a relative, as defined in s. 112.3143(1)(c), of a board member or of an employee of the board. Such contracts may not be executed before or without the approval of CareerSource Florida, Inc. Such contracts, as well as documentation demonstrating adherence to this section as specified by CareerSource Florida, Inc., must be submitted to the Department of Economic Opportunity for review and recommendation according to criteria to be determined by CareerSource Florida, Inc. Such a contract must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the board, a quorum having been established; all conflicts of interest must be disclosed before the vote; and any member who may benefit from the contract, or whose relative may benefit from the contract, must abstain from the vote. A contract under $25,000 between a local workforce development board and a member of that board or between a relative, as defined in s. 112.3143(1)(c), of a board member or of an employee of the board is not required to have the prior approval of CareerSource Florida, Inc., but must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the board, a quorum having been established, and must be reported to the Department of Economic Opportunity and CareerSource Florida, Inc., within 30 days after approval. If a contract cannot be approved by CareerSource Florida, Inc., a review of the decision to disapprove the contract may be requested by the local workforce development board or other parties to the disapproved contract.
(12) Each local workforce development board shall develop a budget for the purpose of carrying out the duties of the board under this section, subject to the approval of the chief elected official. Each local workforce development board shall submit its annual budget for review to CareerSource Florida, Inc., no later than 2 weeks after the chair approves the budget.
(13) By March 1, 2018, CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall establish regional planning areas in accordance with Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 106(a)(2). Local workforce development boards and chief elected officials within identified regional planning areas shall prepare a regional workforce development plan as required under Pub. L. No. 113-128, Title I, s. 106(c)(2).
History.s. 2, ch. 96-404; s. 1072, ch. 97-103; s. 54, ch. 99-251; s. 7, ch. 2000-165; s. 3, ch. 2001-160; s. 5, ch. 2001-175; s. 8, ch. 2004-230; s. 5, ch. 2005-255; s. 3, ch. 2006-287; s. 1, ch. 2008-161; s. 49, ch. 2010-153; s. 383, ch. 2011-142; s. 9, ch. 2012-6; s. 2, ch. 2012-29; s. 22, ch. 2013-36; s. 114, ch. 2014-17; s. 30, ch. 2015-98; s. 29, ch. 2016-216.
Note.Former s. 446.602; s. 288.9953.