00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 255(HES) 01 "An Act establishing a comprehensive policy relating to human resource 02 development in the state." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 44.99 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read: 05  Sec. 44.99.130. STATEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 06 POLICY FOR THE STATE. (a) State programs and activities in the fields of 07 economic development, education, vocational education, job training, and social service 08 shall be coordinated to further the state's primary goal of enabling the people of the 09 state to become part of a literate, skilled, and productive work force and to have an 10 opportunity to earn a living wage. The Department of Administration, the Department 11 of Commerce and Economic Development, the Department of Community and 12 Regional Affairs, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Education, the 13 Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Health and Social Services, the 14 Department of Labor, the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, and the 01 University of Alaska shall plan, coordinate, and implement their programs and 02 activities to better achieve the state's primary goal. 03  (b) Public officials responsible for economic development programs and 04 systems in the state shall coordinate planning with public officials responsible for job 05 training and human resource development programs and systems concerning anticipated 06 economic development activities so that those programs and systems can prepare 07 clients for the forthcoming employment opportunities in a timely manner. 08  (c) Public officials responsible for education programs and systems, including 09 vocational education, shall structure those programs and systems to prepare students 10 to enter the work force. To this end, the state's educational system shall ensure that 11 students develop competency in basic and technological skills along with work force 12 readiness values. 13  (d) Public officials responsible for the state's job training system shall 14 coordinate with business, industry, and labor in the state to anticipate and provide 15 appropriate training for new employment opportunities that are opening up because of 16 economic development and other employment opportunities that are already present or 17 developing in the state. 18  (e) Social service programs of the state shall encourage people who are 19 unemployed to make the transition from welfare to employment and self-sufficiency. 20 Public officials responsible for these programs shall coordinate the public assistance, 21 social services, and human resource development services available to a client. 22  (f) Public officials responsible for human resource programs shall coordinate 23 to minimize duplication of programs, increase sharing of resources, and make access 24 to information and services more convenient to the people of the state. 25  (g) To plan, monitor, and coordinate the programs, systems, and activities 26 identified in this section, the governor shall use the Alaska Job Training Council as the 27 recognized state job training coordinating council. The council shall submit a report 28 making recommendations on ways in which the state can enhance the coordination and 29 delivery of economic development and human resource development programs and 30 systems, education programs and systems, including vocational education, the job 31 training system, and social service programs to enable the people of the state to 01 become part of a literate, skilled, and productive work force and to have an 02 opportunity to earn a living wage. The council shall submit the report every other year 03 to the governor and to the legislature, in years alternating with the Governor's 04 Coordination and Special Services Plan. 05  (h) The legislative auditor shall conduct a performance audit of the 06 implementation of the policy provided in this section during fiscal year 1998 and every 07 four years thereafter.