MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Fees, Salaries and Administration

By: Senator(s) Hall, Burton, Smith

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE A "MISSISSIPPI DIRECTORY AND GUIDE TO CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES" TO INCLUDE A GUIDE TO ALL STATE WORKFORCE TRAINING SERVICES, APPRENTICESHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS INFORMATION DIRECTORY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development is authorized and directed to develop a "Mississippi Directory and Guide to Career and Educational Services" to provide a comprehensive guide to Mississippi residents regarding the state's current system of workforce related training services, student apprenticeships, student scholarships, labor needs and career opportunities. This directory shall be made available as an interactive website on the internet, and shall be made available in printed form. The Mississippi Directory and Guide to Career and Educational Services shall consist of the following sections:

(a) Section One: "Guide to Workforce Training Services." This section shall include descriptions, physical locations, phone/fax/e-mail numbers, and guidelines concerning all current available workforce-related training services and programs, including training programs administered or funded by the State Department of Education, the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, the Department of Economic and Community Development, the State Department of Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Human Services, the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning and other programs administered through federal or private entities.

(b) Section Two: "Guide to Apprenticeships." This section shall include resources available for, and state and federal laws concerning, apprenticeships, including student work-study, job shadowing, and any other paid or non-paid apprenticeships. This section shall also include a summary of employment laws that mandate a minimum age of eighteen (18) and applicable exemptions to these laws, according to O.S.H.A. guidelines, child labor laws, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.

(c) Section Three: "Career Opportunities in Mississippi." This section shall include a five-year simple description of labor trends in Mississippi on a regional basis, showing career opportunities in all major recorded career categories, with data showing income, retention, shortage areas, projections and educational levels required for the various occupations.

(d) Section Four: "Scholarships and Funding." This section shall include a compilation of all available educational scholarships and training program funding support for vocational programs, community colleges, institutions of higher learning, apprenticeships and all adult workforce related training programs. (2) The Department of Economic and Community Development shall develop a marketing plan to educate the public of the availability of the directory on website and in print. The target for the marketing shall include all public school students, private school students, post-secondary school students, parents of these students, business and industry entities, agencies involved in workforce placement and training, public libraries, chambers of commerce and economic development agencies. The department may enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with any public or private agency for the development, marketing and distribution of the Mississippi Directory and Guide to Career and Educational Services.

(3) The Department of Economic and Community Development may apply for public or private funding for the development, marketing and distribution of this directory, and may expend any funds specifically appropriated therefor by the Legislature.

SECTION 2. All new programs authorized under this Senate Bill No. 2151, 1999 Regular Session, shall be subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated therefor by the Legislature during the 1999 Regular Session or any subsequent session. It is the intent of the Legislature that this act shall be codified but that no amendment to a code section or repeal of a code section enacted by this Senate Bill No. 2151, 1999 Regular Session shall take effect until the Legislature has funded any new programs authorized hereunder by line item appropriation, said line item appropriation to be certified by the Legislative Budget Office to the Secretary of State.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.