SB2907eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2907 Engrossed LRB103 37233 SPS 67352 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Job Training and Workforce Development Transparency Act.

Section 5. Findings; legislative intent.

(a) The General Assembly finds that the State of Illinois allocates millions of dollars annually to various job training and workforce development programs to enhance the skills and employability of its residents.

(b) The General Assembly further finds that the effective utilization of public funds requires a transparent and accountable system to track the outcomes and impacts of State-funded job training programs.

(c) It has come to the attention of the General Assembly that there are currently programs receiving substantial State funding that lack a systematic and comprehensive tracking mechanism for assessing their success and impact on the targeted populations.

(d) The lack of standardized reporting on the allocation and effectiveness of these funds raises concerns regarding the State's ability to measure the return on investment, ensure equity in program access, and make informed decisions on resource allocation for future initiatives.

(e) The intent of this Act is to require the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in collaboration with affected State agencies, to compile a detailed report within one year after the effective date of this Act, providing a comprehensive overview of all State-funded job training and workforce development programs in Illinois.

(f) By enacting this legislation, the General Assembly aims to ensure that Illinois residents receive maximum benefit from State-funded programs and that the State can make informed policy decisions based on a thorough understanding of the impact and outcomes of these initiatives.

(g) It is the further intent of the General Assembly that the reporting requirements established by this Act serve as a mechanism to identify successful programs, areas for improvement, and potential areas of duplication or overlap in order to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of State-funded job training and workforce development efforts.

Section 10. Reporting requirements.

(a) Within one year after the effective date of this Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in coordination with relevant State agencies, shall compile a report concerning all State-funded job training and workforce development programs in this State.

(b) The report shall identify each State-funded job training and workforce development program in this State and provide, at a minimum, the following information about each program:

(1) the name of the State agency that appropriated the funding for the program;

(2) the source of the funding for the program;

(3) the name and location of the organizations that received funding under the program;

(4) the population served by the organizations that received funding and the demographic breakdown of that population; and

(5) the outcomes of the program, including, but not limited to:

(A) number of participants enrolled;

(B) demographic breakdown of participants;

(C) type of training provided;

(D) duration of the program;

(E) employment placement rate;

(F) wage growth and advancement of participants;

(G) retention rates in the workforce; and

(H) any additional metrics deemed necessary by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Section 15. Coordination with State agencies. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall collaborate with relevant State agencies to ensure the timely and accurate collection of information required for the report described in Section 10.

Section 20. Publication and accessibility. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall submit the report described in Section 10 to the General Assembly and make the report accessible to the public on the Department's website no later than one year after the effective date of this Act.

Section 25. Department contracts. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may contract with the statewide Illinois Longitudinal Data System (ILDS) to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.