PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Modernize Data Collection and Reporting and Information Access for the Department of Labor
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1401-B, sub-§1, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 467, §5, is amended to read:
 
B. The commissioner shall appoint to serve at the commissioner's pleasure:
 
(1) Deputy Commissioner;
 
(2) Director of Legislative Affairs;
 
(3) Director of Operations;
 
(4) Director of Communications;
 
(5) Director, Bureau of Labor Standards;
 
(6) Director, Bureau of Employment Services; and
 
(7) Director, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services.; and
 
(8) Director, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation.
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §1401-B, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. G, §15, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 26 MRSA §1401-B, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 393, Pt. A, §30 and amended by c. 526, §14, is repealed.
Sec. 4.  26 MRSA §1401-B, sub-§§7 and 8  are enacted to read:
 
7.  Data collection and reporting.     The commissioner, in partnership with the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other appropriate federal and state agencies, shall collect and make publicly available, including in electronic formats, data related to employment and unemployment in the State, including labor force participation, occupations, industries and demographics, employment outcomes of training programs and other information relating to the programs under the department's jurisdiction, including a longitudinal workforce data system. The collection and publication of data under this subsection must be funded by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal and state agencies.
 
8.  Availability of employment law information.     The commissioner shall make available information on employment laws applicable to both workers and employers in accessible formats, including electronic formats, and provide access to such information to all individuals enrolled in the department's programs.
Sec. 5. 26 MRSA c. 25, sub-c. 3, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 6. 26 MRSA §2173, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 408, §3 and amended by PL 2003, c. 114, §§24 and 25, is repealed.
 
SUMMARY
This bill conforms the laws identifying the responsibilities of the Commissioner of Labor relating to the collection and use of data with the Department of Labor's current practices of collecting and publishing data and allows for this information as well as information on labor laws to be made available in various formats, including in electronic formats. The bill adds the Director of the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation to the list of employees who are appointed by the Commissioner of Labor and who serve at the commissioner's pleasure. The bill repeals sections of law regarding the availability of information to trainees. The bill also repeals the Nontraditional Occupation Act.