SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 20
INTRODUCED BY J. ELLINGSON, BECK, BERRY, BOHLINGER, BUTCHER, BUZZAS, CALLAHAN, CARNEY, CHRISTIAENS, CLANCY, P. CLARK, COBB, COCCHIARELLA, CRISMORE, CYR, DAVIES, DOHERTY, EKEGREN, ELLIOTT, FRANKLIN, GROSFIELD, GUTSCHE, HAINES, HALLIGAN, HARRINGTON, JAYNE, JERGESON, KAUFMANN, KITZENBERG, LINDEEN, MCCARTHY, MOHL, NELSON, NEWMAN, PATTISON, PEASE, ROUSH, SHEA, STONINGTON, TESTER, F. THOMAS, TOOLE, TROPILA, WATERMAN
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DESIGNATE AN APPROPRIATE INTERIM COMMITTEE OR DIRECT SUFFICIENT STAFF RESOURCES TO STUDY FUNDING SOURCES AND PROGRAM OPTIONS TO ASSIST UNEMPLOYED MONTANANS AND BUSINESSES EXPERIENCING REDUCTIONS IN FORCE OR CLOSURES BECAUSE OF ENERGY PRICES OR OTHER FACTORS; AND REQUIRING A REPORT TO THE 58TH LEGISLATURE.
WHEREAS, economic and market conditions, including energy prices, are causing businesses in the state to curtail operations at an alarming rate and are threatening the ability of communities to thrive; and
WHEREAS, these economic times place a premium on developing and retaining a workforce with the skills necessary to keep businesses in the state competitive in a global economy; and
WHEREAS, workers require access to education and skills training that lead to high-wage jobs or sustainable self-employment; and
WHEREAS, rural communities face population declines and adverse conditions, including drought, that are causing farmers and ranchers and the businesses that support farmers and ranchers to seek supplemental or alternate income options; and
WHEREAS, existing programs that assist dislocated and unemployed workers lack sufficient resources to provide the training, education, and services that are necessary to develop new work skills, start new businesses or expand businesses, and obtain employment; and
WHEREAS, workers and college graduates are being forced to relocate out of state in alarming numbers to seek sustainable wages; and
WHEREAS, hundreds of teaching jobs are being MAY BE eliminated at K-12 schools and universities because of
budget shortfalls; and
WHEREAS, MONTANA'S SEVEN INDIAN RESERVATIONS CURRENTLY FACE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES OF BETWEEN 47% AND 70%; AND
WHEREAS, Montana's 57th Legislature desires to find solutions to help businesses adapt to and help workers obtain high-skill, high-wage jobs so that they can continue to reside in Montana AND SO THAT OUR BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO PROSPER.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
That the Legislative Council be requested to designate an appropriate interim committee, pursuant to section 5-5-217, MCA, or direct sufficient staff resources to study the feasibility of establishing supplemental resources through an economic intervention and job training program to assist unemployed workers, businesses facing uncertain economic viability because of closures of major industries, and affected communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in developing recommendations for the creation of an economic intervention and job training program, the following goals be considered:
(1) strategies to minimize and mitigate the effects of involuntary worker layoffs because of adverse economic conditions and energy rates, including an early intervention for companies in danger of closing;
(2) methods for providing additional resources to assist dislocated workers in securing education and retraining opportunities, business startup assistance, short-term financial assistance, and other services leading to reemployment in high-wage occupations;
(3) processes to provide a consistent and sustainable approach to developing necessary program initiatives that help retain Montana businesses;
(4) cooperative agreements to coordinate with and supplement services provided through state and local activities, including rapid response activities in accordance with the requirements of section 134 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, 29 U.S.C. 2864;
(5) resources that meet incumbent worker training needs of individual employers or a collection of employers within a community;
(6) proposals to serve secondary workers who become dislocated when a primary industry closes or experiences a
significant labor force reduction, dislocated farmers or ranchers, workers who are underemployed or at risk of dislocation,
and primary workers dislocated by major layoffs or workforce reductions if those primary workers do not qualify for other
programs or if services received under other programs have expired; and
(7) STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING THE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES THAT EXIST ON MONTANA'S INDIAN RESERVATIONS; AND
(7)(8) an examination of the experiences of other states and nations that have experienced severe economic downturns
and development of an inventory of public sources of funding that other governmental entities have used to abate adverse
economic circumstances.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT IF THE 57TH LEGISLATURE ESTABLISHES A STATE WORKFORCE
INVESTMENT BOARD, TWO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE LEGISLATORS BE REQUESTED TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING ANY STUDY FINDINGS AND
CONCLUSIONS TO THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT IF THE 57TH LEGISLATURE ESTABLISHES A STATE WORKFORCE
INVESTMENT BOARD, THE STAFF OF THE BOARD BE REQUESTED TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE
STUDY BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, ATTENDING STUDY MEETINGS, AND COMMUNICATING AND
COORDINATING STUDY ACTIVITIES WITH ACTIVITIES OF THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT
BOARD.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT IF THE 57TH LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD AND TWO LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS, TWO LEGISLATORS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE STATE BOARD AND ONE MEMBER OF EACH LOCAL BOARD BE REQUESTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING ANY STUDY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS TO THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD AND THE TWO LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT IF THE 57TH LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD AND TWO LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS, THE STAFF OF EACH OF THE BOARDS BE REQUESTED TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE STUDY BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, ATTENDING STUDY MEETINGS, AND COMMUNICATING AND COORDINATING STUDY ACTIVITIES WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD AND THE LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, if the study is assigned to staff, any findings or conclusions be presented to and reviewed by an appropriate committee designated by the Legislative Council.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all aspects of the study, including presentation and review requirements, be concluded prior to September 15, 2002.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the final results of the study, including any findings, conclusions, comments, or recommendations of the appropriate committee, be reported to the 58th Legislature.
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