SHARE:                                              

Last week, NASWA Deputy Executive Director and Workforce Development Director, Bob Simoneau, spoke at the National Association of State Legislatures (NCSL) Spring Forum on Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Reauthorization. Please click here for Mr. Simoneau's power point presentation.

The power point provides an excellent summary of the history of the Workforce Investment Act since it's enactment in 1998, the attempts for reauthorization since WIA's expiration on September 30, 2003, and the current status of WIA reauthorization.

Mr. Simoneau also provided suggestions for how State legislators can influence workforce development and WIA implementation in their respective states. During the Question and Answer period, NCSL members asked questions and further discussed the recommendations.

Mr. Simoneau outlined NASWA's priorities in a WIA reauthorization bill this year which include: Allowing States Maximum Flexibility; Clarification of WIA Financial Reporting; Supporting Designated Roles; Designating Wagner-Peyser as the "back-bone" of the workforce system; and Eliminating Sequence of Services.

From left to right, the moderator, Representative Lana Gordon, Kansas; Panelists: Bob Simoneau, NASWA;
Delegate Sally Young Jameson, Maryland, and Neil Bomberg, National League
of Cities speak at NCSL's panel on Workforce Investment in Today's Economy.