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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
workforce; study committee; report
Purpose
Establishes the Joint Legislative New American Talent Study Committee (Study Committee).
Background
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is charged with providing private sector leadership in growing and diversifying the economy of Arizona, creating high quality employment through expansion, attraction and retention of businesses and markets Arizona. The ACA is governed by a public-private board that employs a chief executive officer (CEO) who is responsible for managing, executing, administering and supervising the activities of the ACA (A.R.S. §§ 41-1502 and 41-1503). The duties of the ACA include establishing and supervising the operations of full-time or part-time offices in other states and foreign countries for the purpose of expanding direct investment and export trade opportunities for businesses and industries in Arizona, assessing and collecting fees for processing applications and administering incentives and establishing a program by which entrepreneurs become aware of permits, licenses or authorizations needed to establish, expand or operate in Arizona (A.R.S. § 41-1504).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Study Committee, consisting of the following members:
a) two members of the Senate who are of different political parties and appointed by the President of the Senate, one of which is designated as Co-Chairperson;
b) two members of the House of Representatives who are of different political parties and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of which is designated as Co-Chairperson;
c) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is professionally trained internationally and was born outside the United States;
d) one small business owner appointed by the President of the Senate who was born outside the United States;
e) two members appointed by the President of the Senate who work with refugee resettlement community-based programs or agencies that provide services to new Americans and internationally trained professionals;
f) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from an Arizona university;
g) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from an Arizona community college;
h) one member appointed by the Governor from the Governor's office who is an ex-officio member;
i) the Director of the Department of Economic Security (DES) or the Director's designee who is an ex-officio member;
j) the Director of the Department of Health Services (DHS) or the Director's designee who is an ex-officio member; and
k) the CEO of the ACA who is an ex-officio member.
2. Requires the Study Committee to:
a) review the best practices to maximize economic integration of new Americans into the workforce;
b) evaluate state requirements and policies that pose unnecessary barriers to new American workforce participation; and
c) identify solutions that improve access to new American talent in Arizona.
3. Requires the Co-Chairpersons of the Study Committee to call meetings as often as necessary to effectuate the purpose of the Study Committee.
4. Requires the Co-Chairpersons of the Study Committee, by December 31, 2023, to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Commerce Committee, the House of Representatives Commerce Committee, the ACA and the Secretary of State.
5. Requires the ACA to post the report on its website.
6. Repeals the Study Committee on July 1, 2024.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Renames the New American Talent Committee as the Study Committee.
2. Eliminates the requirement for the Study Committee to submit an additional report by July 1, 2024.
3. Repeals the Study Committee on July 1, 2024, rather than October 1, 2024.
4. Eliminates the following members from the Study Committee:
a) the member who will serve as coordinator of the Study Committee who is appointed by the CEO of the ACA;
b) the two members who work in industries that need workforce talent who are appointed by the CEO of the ACA;
c) the member of the House of Representatives Commerce Committee who is appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
d) the member of the Senate Commerce Committee who is appointed by President of the Senate.
5. Adds the following members to the Study Committee:
a) two members of the Senate who are of different political parties and appointed by the President of the Senate, one of which designated as Co-Chairperson; and
b) two members of the House of Representatives who are of different political parties and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of which is designated as Co-Chairperson; and
c) the CEO of the ACA who is an ex-officio member.
6. Specifies the following Study Committee members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, rather than the CEO of the ACA:
a) the member who is professionally trained internationally and born outside the United States;
b) the member from an Arizona university; and
c) the member from an Arizona community college.
7. Specifies the following Study Committee members are appointed by the President of the Senate, rather than the CEO of the ACA:
a) the member who is a small business owner and was born outside the United States; and
b) members who work with refugee resettlement.
8. Reduces, from four to two, the number of members on the Study Committee who work with refugee resettlement.
9. Designates the following members as ex-officio members of the Study Committee:
a) the member from the Governor's office;
b) the Director of DES or the Director's designee; and
c) the Director of DHS or the Director's designee.
10. Requires the Co-Chairpersons, rather than the coordinator, to:
a) call meetings as often as necessary; and
b) submit the final report by January 1, 2024.
Senate Action
COM 2/8/23 DP 6-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 20, 2023
JT/PM/sr