§ 5.191. Purpose.

 The purpose of the Board is to assist the Governor in:

   (1)  Development of a unified plan for workforce development system.

   (2)  Development and continuous improvement of a Statewide one-stop delivery system for workforce services.

   (3)  Development of linkages to ensure coordination and nonduplication among workforce programs.

   (4)  Designation of local workforce investment areas.

   (5)  Review and approval of local workforce investment plans.

   (6)  Coordinate with other Team Pennsylvania activities to develop a workforce development system that is market-driven and responsive to the needs of this Commonwealth’s employers by supporting the primary goals of Team Pennsylvania which are to:

     (i)   Promote this Commonwealth to specific companies considering expansion and relocation.

     (ii)   Assist with business retention efforts.

     (iii)   Ensure that the Commonwealth’s economic development strategies continue to be focused and effective.

     (iv)   Improve communication and collaboration among professionals serving businesses in this Commonwealth.

   (7)  Establish a rapid response mechanism to mobilize training resources to address the skill requirements for business retention or attraction opportunities created by major job projects of the Governor’s Action Team or local economic developers.

   (8)  Collaborate and coordinate with State agencies and State boards and commissions that shape economic development and education policies of the Commonwealth, including the Ben Franklin/IRC Partnership Board, the State Board of Education, the State Literacy Council, the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council, the State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation, the State System of Higher Education, the State-related universities and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, to develop Statewide policies that connect workforce development with lifelong learning and economic competitiveness.

   (9)  Collaborate with the Department of Community and Economic Development to ensure that the Statewide financing strategy for economic development reported to the General Assembly supports, and is supported by, the goals and objectives of this Commonwealth’s workforce development system.

   (10)  Collaborate with the Department of Public Welfare to ensure that the Statewide welfare-to-work strategy established to meet the demands of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the act of August 22, 1996 (Pub. L. No. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2105) supports, and is supported by, the goals and objectives of this Commonwealth’s workforce development system.

   (11)  Comment at least annually on the measures taken under section 113 (b)(14) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technology Education Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C.A. §  2322(b)(14)).

   (12)  Coordinate the provision of services among State agencies consistent with the laws and regulations governing the human resources programs and Pennsylvania’s unified plan for workforce investment. For purposes of this order, applicable State and Federal laws include the following:

     (i)   The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the act of August 7, 1998 (Pub. L. No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936)

     (ii)   The Job Training Partnership Act, the act of October 13, 1982 (Pub. L. No. 97-300, 96 Stat. 1322)

     (iii)   The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, the act of December 18, 1963 (Pub. L. No. 88-210).

     (iv)   The Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C.A. § §  49—49l-2).

     (v)   The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (20 U.S.C.A. § §  9201—9253).

     (vi)   The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C.A. § §  6101—6251).

     (vii)   The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, the act of September 21, 1993 (Pub. L. No. 103-82, 107 Stat. 785).

     (viii)   Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.A. § §  3056—3056i).

     (ix)   The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 (29 U.S.C.A. § §  701—795n).

     (x)   The Community Service Block Grant Amendments of 1994, the act of May 18, 1994 (Pub. L. No. 103—252, 108 Stat. 651) (42 U.S.C.A. §  9910c).

     (xi)   The Food Stamp Act of 1977 (Food Stamp Employment Training Program) (7 U.S.C.A. § §  2011—2036).

     (xii)   The Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.A. § §  2101—2495).

     (xiii)   The Customized Job Training Act (24 P. S. § §  6201—6213).

     (xiv)   The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

     (xv)   Article XIX-A of the Pennsylvania School Code of 1949 (Community Colleges) (24 P. S. § §  19-1901-A—19-1913-A).

     (xvi)   The Worker’s Compensation Act (77 P. S. § §  1—1041.4).

     (xvii)   The Unemployment Compensation Law (43 P. S. § §  751—914).

     (xviii)   The New Economy Technology Scholarship Act (24 P. S. § §  5199.1—5199.9).

     (xix)   Section 906-B of The Administrative Code of 1929, regarding inmate education programs (71 P. S. §  310-6).

     (xx)   Other laws that the Governor or Board believes necessary to implement the workforce development system.

   (13)  Evaluate State and local plans and proposals submitted for the implementation of the Federal and State human resource programs, and approve those plans that are consistent with the laws and regulations governing those programs and with the policies and priorities established by the Board.

   (14)  Develop strategies to assist local workforce investment boards in providing support services including, child care and transportation to better meet the needs of system customers.

   (15)  Develop and advance strategies for local workforce investment boards to work collaboratively to create regional networks.

   (16)  Coordinate the following components of this Commonwealth’s workforce development system:

     (i)   The development and dissemination of appropriate and necessary research and statistical information with the requisite protocols and standards for common data reference.

     (ii)   The development of common definitions and common and specific performance standards and measures for workforce development programs and activities.

     (iii)   The establishment and maintenance of a universally accessible information access system which enables the workforce development system to function and to serve its customers effectively.

     (iv)   The provision of technical assistance to assist local workforce investment boards in meeting any changes associated with a new workforce development system.

     (v)   The implementation of mechanisms, including the collaborative process outlined in Federal law, to secure appropriate input from system customers and service providers in the development of policies, performance standards or investment strategies.

   (17)  Examine Federal and State laws and regulations to assess whether they present barriers to achieving the provisions of this subchapter, and recommend to the Governor and to the Federal government changes or waivers in the Federal or State statutes or regulations to eliminate barriers and promote the provisions of this subchapter.

   (18)  Report to the Governor, the General Assembly and the Commonwealth generally the Board’s progress, the return on investment, and the overall effectiveness of the State and Federal human resource programs defined in this section.