AGENDA

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE SERVICES

INTERIM COMMITTEE

UTAH LEGISLATURE

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 • 1:15 p.m. • Room 20 House Building

Approximate

Time Frame

1:15 1. Committee Business

· Call to order

· Approval of the minutes of the October 21, 2015, meeting

1:20 2. Volunteer Registry

During the 2015 General Session, S.B. 209, "Volunteer Registry," was introduced but did not pass. The bill would have created a volunteer registry that would provide a central point for organizations to determine whether an individual who wants to volunteer has had a background check. The committee will hear more details about this concept from the original bill sponsor.

· Sen. Margaret Dayton

· James Brown

1:35 3. Intergenerational Poverty Report

The Utah Intergenerational Welfare Reform Commission, created in 2013, is required to identify and develop plans, programs, and recommendations to help at-risk children in the state escape the cycle of poverty and public assistance or dependency. The commission's progress is reported to the Department of Workforce Services for inclusion in the department's annual report. The committee will hear the findings, progress, and recommendations of the commission.

· Jon Pierpont, Executive Director, Department of Workforce Services

· Tracy Gruber, Senior Advisor, Intergenerational Poverty Initiative, Department of Workforce Services

2:05 4. Opportunities for Working Families

Family Success Centers are designed to help families obtain critical economic security, job skills training, education, and secure safe housing. Through comprehensive and coordinated services with community partners, families can receive consistent support to enable them to achieve economic success and make self-sustaining life choices. Family Success Centers would provide grants to communities that would tailor services for local critical needs. Legislators will report on related information obtained at a recent National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL).

· Rep. Rebecca P. Edwards

· Rep. Angela Romero

2:20 5. Women in the Economy Commission Amendments, Report, and Sunset

Review (draft legislation)

During the 2014 General Session, the Legislature passed H.B. 90, "Women in the Economy Commission," which created the commission within the Department of Workforce Services. The commission is tasked with increasing public and government understanding of the current and future impact and needs of the state's women in the economy and how those needs may be most effectively and efficiently met. The bill also provided that the act is repealed July 1, 2016, unless reauthorized by the Legislature. The committee will hear the findings, progress, and recommendations of the commission and discuss whether the sunset date should be extended or repealed.

· Rep. Rebecca P. Edwards

· Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck

2:35 6. Utah Science, Technology, and Research Amendments (draft

legislation)

During the July meeting, the committee heard an update from a representative of the Utah Science, Technology, and Research Initiative (USTAR). Based on that update, USTAR will present draft legislation to implement proposed changes in its processes, programs, and organizational structure to fulfill the requirements identified in the 2014 General Session S.B. 62, "Utah Science, Technology, and Research Authority Amendments," and as identified in two audits.

· Ivy V. Estabrooke, Executive Director, Utah Science, Technology, and Research Initiative

2:50 7. Workforce Development Board Amendments (draft legislation)

During the October meeting, a representative of the Department of Workforce Services briefed the committee on changes need to the statute in response to 2014 changes to the federal Workforce Investment Act, including the structure, function, and name of the State Council of Workforce Services. The committee voted to open a bill file to make the needed changes, which will be presented for committee consideration.

· Kathy Bounous, Director, Adjudications/Appeals, and General Counsel, Department of Workforce Services

3:00 8. Enterprise Zone Amendments (draft legislation)

During the August meeting a member of the committee presented issues that need attention regarding economic development enterprise zones. The committee voted to open a bill file to address issue related to accountability and reporting for the enterprise zone program. The draft legislation will be presented for committee consideration.

· Rep. Scott D. Sandall

3:10 9. Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) Proposed

Legislation

During the October meeting, in conjunction with the annual report, a representative of GOED proposed to have the committee's assistance with six potential pieces of draft legislation. The committee voted to open bill files for the legislation and will consider each one, as follows:

° Economic Development Tax Increment Financing Amendments

° Industrial Assistance Fund Amendments

° Film and Television Incentives Amendments

° Business Resource Centers Amendments

° Office of Outdoor Recreation Amendments

° STEM Action Center Amendments

· Q. Val Hale, Executive Director, Governor's Office of Economic Development

· Kimberly Henrie, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, Governor's Office of Economic Development

3:30 10. Urban Housing Redevelopment Tax Credit (draft legislation)

During the October meeting, a legislator and a representative of Ogden City proposed draft legislation on providing an urban housing redevelopment income tax credit. The tax credit would be matched by the local community and targeted to cover the amount of disinvestment in blighted houses in a qualified blighted housing area to provide attainable housing and encourage investment in those communities.

· Rep. Stephen G. Handy

3:40 11. Other Committee Business / Adjourn