SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 853
91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR STOLL.
Pre-filed December 21, 2001, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
3607S.01I
AN ACT
To amend chapter 620, RSMo, by adding thereto eleven new sections relating to science and mathematics education.
Section A. Chapter 620, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto eleven new sections, to be known as sections 620.900, 620.903, 620.906, 620.909, 620.912, 620.915, 620.918, 620.921, 620.924, 620.927 and 620.930, to read as follows:
620.900. Sections 620.900 to 620.930 shall be known and may be cited as the "Collaborative for Applied Experiences in Science Act".
620.903. As used in sections 620.900 to 620.930 the following terms mean:
(1) "Division", the division of job development and training within the department of economic development;
(2) "Participant", a person who has been hired and who meets the program eligibility criteria established by sections 620.900 to 620.930;
(3) "Project", an undertaking designed to provide or assist in providing services to promote education and economic development of the general population. The term includes, but is not limited to: laboratory bench work, field research, engineering research, mathematical research, computer science research, and biomedical research, or other undertakings which benefit the science, mathematics, computer science and engineering education of residents of this state;
(4) "Project sponsor", state agencies, including the departments of economic development, elementary and secondary education, social services, labor and industrial relations, the University of Missouri and the University of Missouri extension system; any unit of local government, including school districts; not-for-profit and for-profit private corporations or organizations; administrative entities designated pursuant to the requirements of the federal Workforce Investment Act and any subsequent amendments; and community-based organizations.
620.906. There is hereby established, at an appropriate host institution of higher education and in cooperation with the Missouri department of economic development, the "Collaborative for Applied Experiences in Science Program" (CAES) for the purpose of increasing the state-wide potential scientific and technical workforce through the identification, recruitment, and retention of talented college and university undergraduate students.
620.909. 1. The CAES program shall consist of a summer employment program emphasizing the development of research and technical skills in the fields of science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering.
2. In selecting participants for the CAES program, the director shall give preference to persons who are successful students at the collegiate levels both within Missouri and outside Missouri and who are residents of the state of Missouri.
3. The goals of this program shall include:
(1) Providing a mechanism for investment in tomorrow's human resources and the economic development of the state;
(2) Introducing students to science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering career opportunities within the State of Missouri;
(3) Providing a mechanism to obtain and retain high potential students in the workforce of the state;
(4) Preparing students for the realities of the science/technical workforce;
(5) Facilitating employer access to a highly select talent pool and developing a partnership in the educational process of talented undergraduate students;
(6) Providing greater diversification of the workforce while infusing the enthusiasm and inquisitiveness of young, bright scholars into the work environment;
(7) Providing practical reinforcement of content knowledge acquired in school and developing performance skills that students need to be successful in the workplace;
(8) Maintaining and amplifying interest in science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering careers; and
(9) Assisting higher education institutions with summer and academic year placement of their undergraduate students.
4. Missouri residents residing outside the state of Missouri shall be eligible to apply to participate in the CAES program.
620.912. The CAES program director shall keep collegiate-level students from Missouri who attend national and regional universities informed about career opportunities in Missouri and establish summer employment opportunities with science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering employers throughout the state of Missouri during the summers. Participants shall be unemployed at the time of their enrollment.
620.915. 1. The program shall consist of projects offering paid work experience integrated with educational and research activities which may include, but is not limited to, laboratory bench work, field research, engineering research, mathematical research, computer science research, and plant and life sciences research.
2. Participants in the program shall be paid a wage according to those rules and regulations of the university or corporate entity and agreed upon by the participants.
620.918. 1. The division of job development and training within the department of economic development shall cooperate with and may directly contract with all state agencies, local units of government and any of the governor's advisory councils or commissions, or their successor agencies, and with private organizations in the delivery of CAES programs.
2. Upon application to the division and subject to the availability of funds, the division is authorized to provide funding assistance through contracts with administrative entities, designated pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act and any subsequent amendments and project sponsors. The application shall form the basis for the contract agreement and, at a minimum, shall include:
(1) A general project description, including the extent to which it satisfies educational and research objectives;
(2) The number of college-level students to be assigned to each project, a description of the nature and duration of their employment;
(3) The amount of total funds required to sustain the project, distinguishing between the amounts required for the student's wages and stipends, if any, and the amounts required for other purposes;
(4) A statement of the amount and purpose of funding assistance requested from the division and the manner and timing of its disbursement;
(5) A description of the interagency coordination, technical assistance and financial support which together with the funding assistance, the resources of the applicant and support from any other source, is sufficient to ensure the success of the project. The commitment of financial support from the project sponsor shall be equal to or greater than one-third of the amount of the total project cost.
3. The division shall ensure that all affected state agencies are made aware of the application and are provided the opportunity to offer comments related to the project feasibility, including the identification of other available funds for the project.
620.921. 1. A project sponsor shall administer projects funded under sections 620.900 to 620.930 in the following manner:
(1) Participants shall either:
(a) Be paid at least the minimum wage as established by federal or state law at the time of employment; or
(b) Receive a stipend agreed to by the university or corporate entity and the participant with funds from the collaborative for applied experiences in science fund established in section 620.927;
(2) Persons employed through any CAES program shall be exempt from merit system requirements, and shall not be eligible for membership in any public employees' retirement system. All participants shall be so advised by the project sponsor and the regulating authority;
(3) Services performed by a participant in any CAES program shall not constitute "employment" within the meaning of the Missouri employment security law in chapter 288, RSMo, if the program is operated as a work-relief or work-training program in accordance with subdivision (5) of subsection 9 of section 288.034, RSMo.
2. All administrative expenses shall be approved by the division.
3. No funds shall be awarded for any program which replaces or supplants employees engaged in any authorized work stoppage or which replaces or supplants currently employed workers or which impairs existing contracts for services provided by other workers.
620.924. The directors of the departments of economic development and labor and industrial relations shall meet regularly to establish appropriate allocations from their respective budgets to be made for the operation of the CAES program. Funding for the operation of the program may come from, but not be limited to, the federal Workforce Investment Act, the one-eighth of one cent sales tax as authorized by sections 43(a) and 43(b) of article IV of the Missouri Constitution, and other discretionary funds which may be available to the various departments and to the governor's office.
620.927. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Collaborative for Applied Experiences in Science Fund". The state treasurer shall deposit to the credit of the fund all moneys which may be appropriated to it by the general assembly and any gifts, contributions, grants or bequests received from federal, private or other sources. The general assembly shall appropriate moneys in the CAES fund for the support of the CAES program.
620.930. The department of economic development shall promulgate rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of sections 620.900 to 620.930. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in sections 620.900 to 620.930 shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2002, shall be invalid and void.