PUBLIC Law, Chapter 593, An Act To Facilitate Informed Planning for Higher Education and Careers

An Act To Facilitate Informed Planning for Higher Education and Careers

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§10-E is enacted to read:

10-E.

Education

State Education and Employment Outcomes Task Force

Expenses Only

20-A MRSA §12901

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA c. 437 is enacted to read:

CHAPTER 437

STATE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES TASK FORCE

§ 12901. State Education and Employment Outcomes Task Force

1. Task force established. The State Education and Employment Outcomes Task Force, established in Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 10-E and referred to in this chapter as "the task force," is established to develop procedures to maintain and disseminate information and data from the Department of Labor's educational outcome database, referred to in this chapter as "the database," including but not limited to information and data on education results, program completion, graduation, credentials earned and employment and earnings outcomes for graduates of postsecondary educational institutions in the State over time.

2. Membership. The task force consists of 15 members as follows:

A. Four members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows:

(1) Two members of the Senate, one from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature;

(2) A representative from the University of Maine System; and

(3) A representative from the Maine School Management Association or a successor organization;

B. Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows:

(1) Two members of the House of Representatives, one from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature; and

(2) A representative from the Maine Community College System;

C. Four members appointed by the Governor as follows:

(1) A representative from the Maine Maritime Academy;

(2) A representative from a private postsecondary educational institution in the State;

(3) A representative from the Maine State Chamber of Commerce or a successor organization; and

(4) A person with expertise in state and national higher education policy;

D. The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee;

E. The Commissioner of Labor or the commissioner's designee;

F. The administrator of the database or the administrator's designee; and

G. The Chief Executive Officer of the Finance Authority of Maine or the chief executive officer's designee.

3. Meetings. The task force may meet no more than 4 times per calendar year.

4. Chairs. The first-named Senate member is the Senate chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the task force.

5. Terms of appointment. Nonlegislative appointed members of the task force are appointed for terms of 3 years and may serve beyond their designated terms until their successors are appointed. Terms of appointment of Legislators coincide with their respective legislative terms of office.

6. Staffing. The Legislative Council shall provide staff support to the task force, except that the Legislative Council staff support is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session. The Department of Education and the Department of Labor shall provide assistance and information to the task force as is consistent with the departments' current federal grants related to the work of the task force and to the extent time and funding allow as determined by the departments.

7. Duties. The task force shall:

A. Review procedures to maintain and disseminate information regarding the employment and earnings of graduates of postsecondary educational institutions in the State based on the database;

B. Advise on the use of the information provided in the database by state agencies, higher education organizations that have partnerships with the task force, local school systems and the public;

C. Make recommendations regarding the design and content of a website jointly hosted by the Department of Education and the Department of Labor that provides maximum information to the public regarding higher education and employment;

D. Identify a viable long-term funding method to maintain the database;

E. Produce recommendations for the Department of Education regarding how to provide relevant, timely information to secondary school students who are making higher education decisions;

F. Address any issues that may arise from the use or impact of the database; and

G. Explore the feasibility of and possible methods for including data from the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation regarding licensure, as well as data covering other workforce credentials, into the database.

8. Reports; legislation. The task force shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters and the joint select or joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over workforce training matters by November 1st each year on the status of the database. The reports must describe funding sources for the database and the sustainability of that funding, how the website under subsection 7, paragraph C is used, including by whom and how frequently they use it, efforts to incorporate its use into secondary schools and any other issues the task force determines necessary. The task force shall as part of its report recommend whether the task force should continue its work, or if its work could best be handled by another entity. If the task force recommends that the task force should continue its work, it shall recommend any suggested changes in the membership and size of the task force. The task force may submit with the reports legislation required to implement its recommendations.

Sec. 3. Lapsed balances; Legislature, General Fund account. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Controller shall lapse $2,500 from the All Other line category from the Legislature, General Fund account in the Legislature to the General Fund unappropriated surplus no later than June 30, 2015.

Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

LEGISLATURE

Legislature 0081

Initiative: Provides funding for the per diem and expenses of Legislators serving on the State Education and Employment Outcomes Task Force and other miscellaneous costs associated with the task force.

GENERAL FUND 2013-14 2014-15

Personal Services
$0 $880

All Other
$0 $1,620

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GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $2,500

Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 126th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.

HP1253 LD 1746	PUBLIC Law, Chapter 593 on - Session - 126th Maine Legislature
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GENERAL FUND	2013-14	2014-15
Personal Services	$0	$880
All Other	$0	$1,620

GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$2,500