RCW 43.330.375 Evergreen jobs efforts—Coordination and support—Identification of technologies, barriers, and strategies—Outreach efforts—Performance reports.

(1) The department and the workforce board must:

(a) Coordinate efforts across the state to ensure that federal training and education funds are captured and deployed in a focused and effective manner in order to support green economy projects and accomplish the goals of the evergreen jobs initiative;

(b) Accelerate and coordinate efforts by state and local organizations to identify, apply for, and secure all sources of funds, particularly those created by the 2009 American recovery and reinvestment act, and to ensure that distributions of funding to local organizations are allocated in a manner that is time-efficient and user-friendly for the local organizations. Local organizations eligible to receive support include but are not limited to:

(i) Associate development organizations;

(ii) Workforce development councils;

(iii) Public utility districts; and

(iv) Community action agencies;

(c) Support green economy projects at both the state and local level by developing a process and a framework to provide, at a minimum:

(i) Administrative and technical assistance;

(ii) Assistance with and expediting of permit processes; and

(iii) Priority consideration of opportunities leading to exportable green economy goods and services, including renewable energy technology;

(d) Coordinate local and state implementation of projects using federal funds to ensure implementation is time-efficient and user-friendly for local organizations;

(e) Emphasize through both support and outreach efforts, projects that:

(i) Have a strong and lasting economic or environmental impact;

(ii) Lead to a domestically or internationally exportable good or service, including renewable energy technology;

(iii) Create training programs leading to a credential, certificate, or degree in a green economy field;

(iv) Strengthen the state's competitiveness in a particular sector or cluster of the green economy;

(v) Create employment opportunities for veterans, members of the national guard, and low-income and disadvantaged populations;

(vi) Comply with prevailing wage provisions of chapter 39.12 RCW;

(vii) Ensure at least fifteen percent of labor hours are performed by apprentices;

(f) Identify emerging technologies and innovations that are likely to contribute to advancements in the green economy, including the activities in designated innovation partnership zones established in RCW 43.330.270;

(g) Identify barriers to the growth of green jobs in traditional industries such as the forest products industry;

(h) Identify statewide performance metrics for projects receiving agency assistance. Such metrics may include:

(i) The number of new green jobs created each year, their wage levels, and, to the extent determinable, the percentage of new green jobs filled by veterans, members of the national guard, and low-income and disadvantaged populations;

(ii) The total amount of new federal funding secured, the respective amounts allocated to the state and local levels, and the timeliness of deployment of new funding by state agencies to the local level;

(iii) The timeliness of state deployment of funds and support to local organizations; and

(iv) If available, the completion rates, time to completion, and training-related placement rates for green economy postsecondary training programs;

(i) Identify strategies to allocate existing and new funding streams for green economy workforce training programs and education to emphasize those leading to a credential, certificate, or degree in a green economy field;

(j) Identify and implement strategies to allocate existing and new funding streams for workforce development councils and associate development organizations to increase their effectiveness and efficiency and increase local capacity to respond rapidly and comprehensively to opportunities to attract green jobs to local communities;

(k) Develop targeting criteria for existing investments that are consistent with the goals of this section and RCW 28C.18.170, 28B.50.281, and 49.04.200; and

(l) Make and support outreach efforts so that residents of Washington, particularly members of target populations, become aware of educational and employment opportunities identified and funded through the evergreen jobs act.

(2) The department and the workforce board must provide semiannual performance reports to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature on:

(a) Actual statewide performance based on the performance measures identified in subsection (1)(h) of this section;

(b) How the state is emphasizing and supporting projects that lead to a domestically or internationally exportable good or service, including renewable energy technology;

(c) A list of projects supported, created, or funded in furtherance of the goals of the evergreen jobs initiative and the actions taken by state and local organizations, including the effectiveness of state agency support provided to local organizations as directed in subsection (1)(b) and (c) of this section;

(d) Recommendations for new or expanded financial incentives and comprehensive strategies to:

(i) Recruit, retain, and expand green economy industries and small businesses; and

(ii) Stimulate research and development of green technology and innovation, which may include designating innovation partnership zones linked to the green economy;

(e) Any information that associate development organizations and workforce development councils choose to provide to appropriate legislative committees regarding the effectiveness, timeliness, and coordination of support provided by state agencies under this section and RCW 28C.18.170, 28B.50.281, and 49.04.200; and

(f) Any recommended statutory changes necessary to increase the effectiveness of the evergreen jobs initiative and state responsiveness to local agencies and organizations.

(3) The definitions, designations, and results of the employment security department's broader labor market research under RCW 43.330.010 shall inform the planning and strategic direction of the department, the state workforce training and education coordinating board, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the student achievement council.

[ 2014 c 112 § 118; 2012 c 229 § 591; 2010 c 187 § 3; 2009 c 536 § 4.]

NOTES:

Effective date—2012 c 229 §§ 101, 117, 401, 402, 501 through 594, 601 through 609, 701 through 708, 801 through 821, 902, and 904: See note following RCW 28B.77.005.

Findings—2010 c 187: See note following RCW 43.330.310.

Short title—2009 c 536: See note following RCW 43.330.370.