Workforce Investment Improvement Act update

[from the National Skills Coalition] On June 7, the House Education and the Workforce Committee “marked-up” the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 (HR 4297), a bill to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The bill was originally introduced by Representative Foxx (R-NC), Heck (R-NV), and McKeon (R-CA). The bill was reported out of committee on a party-line vote of 23-15. Read NSC’s analysis of the bill and key amendments that were voted up and down.

See also a fact sheet on the legislation provided by the Association of Community College Trustees.

Possible Labor Appropriations slated for early June

By Washington Partners MAY 18, 2012

Last week, Capitol Hill hosted a rarity—both the House and Senate were in session. That ends on Monday with the House recessing for a district work week while the Senate waits to follow suit until the week after Memorial Day. When they return in early June, it is likely that action on appropriations bills—including funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education—will be on their agendas. Action, however, does not mean completion, given virtually no one anticipates Congress finalizing the FY2013 budget until after the November elections.

Despite the anticipated delay, the Senate spent last week arguing about and voting on five separate budget proposals. First up was the House-passed plan from Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), which failed on a party line vote. Then came a budget offered by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), purporting to be the Obama Administration’s proposal. Since that document lacked the policy detail necessary to qualify as an actual budget, all Democrats voted against the bill along with all of Senator Session’s Republican colleagues. (Anticipate campaign advertisements claiming even the Democrats in Congress oppose Obama’s spending plan.)

The remaining three proposals came from Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) who found the Ryan plan too generous. These all failed with a number of moderate Republicans joining the Democrats in their opposition.

PA Senate committee passes State budget unanimously today

[from the Times-Tribune] HARRISBURG BUREAU CHIEF HARRISBURG - A key Senate committee this morning approved a $27.6 billion state budget bill that restores $500 million of proposed state spending cuts by a unanimous bipartisan vote.

The action by the Appropriations Committee sends the budget bill to a floor vote this week. But action on the final budget won't be completed until next month after the House and Gov. Tom Corbett weigh in.

The bill makes a full restoration of state funding for Pennsylvania State University and other state-related universities and the state-owned universities, therefore undoing proposed cuts made by the governor earlier this year.

The presidents of the state-related universities and chancellor of the State System of Higher Education have made a commitment to keep student tuition rates for the next academic year below the rate of inflation as a result, said Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Jake Corman, R-34, Bellefonte.

Reflecting increased state tax revenues in recent months due to an improving economy, the bill provides $50 million for the Accountability Block Grant program used by school districts and restores $84 million of a proposed $168 million cut to county-run human services programs.

"We have a vastly improved budget bill," said Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, who voted for it in committee.

Mr. Blake and other senators said they hope improved revenue growth in May will enable additional state aid restorations to a variety of programs in the final budget.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/key-senate-panel-approves-27-6-billion-budget-bill-1.1312059#ixzz1uIbSVKB4

See also commentary on the Senate's budget at Third & State.

State IFO predicts less revenue shortfall, possible $400M surplus

[from Third & State] Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its revenue estimate this week, offering a more upbeat view of the economy moving forward. The official revenue estimate predicts a smaller revenue shortfall for the current year and more robust revenue collections for 2012-13.

The IFO estimate leaves the General Assembly with as much as $800 million available to restore cuts proposed by the Governor. This is clearly good news, but both the Corbett administration and legislative leaders are already dampening expectations about the scale of funding restorations.

A Look at the Numbers 

In the current 2011-12 fiscal year, the Corbett budget pegged revenue at $27.1 billion, with a revenue shortfall of $719 million. The IFO estimates revenue collections will be $419 million higher, at $27.5 billion and a shortfall of $300 million for the fiscal year. With $700 million in current-year reserves, this leaves an actual year-end surplus of around $400 million.

Read more here: http://thirdandstate.org/2012/may/good-news-revenue-don%E2%80%99t-count-your-blessings-just-yet

New resource- Lobbying/Advocacy rules

[from Philanthropy News Digest] The David and Lucile Packard, Bill & Melinda Gates, William and Flora Hewlett, and Gordon and Betty Moore foundations have announced the launch of a free online resource to help program officers navigate the rules of lobbying and advocacy.

Intended to be the first in a suite of free training resources for private foundation staff, the course, Learn Foundation Law, covers such issues as how lobbying laws apply to private foundations, who and what they can legally fund, the types of grants private foundations are allowed to provide, and how to fund projects when advocacy and lobbying are involved. It also offers guidelines and tools designed to help foundation staff engage with grantees and legislators.

As part of the course, "Maya," a virtual program officer, leads participants through the training, which takes less than an hour to complete. Users can return to the training at any time for a refresher and can click on individual modules to refer back to specific topics.

The course aims to supplement existing in-person workshops or staff trainings already provided by foundation legal counsel. "While there are many rules and regulations applicable to our grantmaking, we find the IRS lobbying laws are some of the more important ones for our staff to clearly understand," said Mary Anne Rodgers, general counsel for the Packard Foundation. "Since these rules apply to all private foundations, we wanted to share this important resource with the field and make it accessible to program staff across the country."

“New Resource on Lobbying and Advocacy Rules Now Available.”Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Press Release 4/19/12.

Exciting News from Labor and Industry - Shared Work Program Now In Effect

[from the Strategic Early Warning Network (SEWN) newsletter]

The Shared Work program allows an employer to temporarily reduce the work hours of a group of employees as an alternative to a layoff. Employees covered by the plan receive a percentage of the Unemployment Compensation Weekly Benefit Amount while they work the reduced schedule, if they are otherwise eligible for Unemployment Compensation.

For additional information, visit the Shared Work page on the Department of Labor and Industry web site.

April 24 Primary Election fast approaching!

Want to learn more about the candidates before the Primary on April 24? The League of Women Voters has great resources on their website smartvoter.org. You can search by your address to see information to prepare to cast your vote...

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