ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 5183
To the General Assembly:
Pursuant to Article V, Section I, Paragraph 14 of the New Jersey Constitution, I am returning Assembly Bill No. 5183 with my recommendations for reconsideration.
This bill would require the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (the “Department”) to develop and maintain a list of industry-valued credentials (“list”) identifying the specific credentials offered in New Jersey in which employers are most interested, based on analysis of State labor market data and feedback from State employers. The Department would also be required to post the list on its website, update it annually, and adopt regulations.
While I commend the sponsors of this legislation for devising ways to broaden opportunities for career advancement, the Department is already required by law to maintain a statewide list of approved training providers known as the State Eligible Training Provider List (“SETPL”). N.J.S.A. 34:15C-10.2. That same law also lists five specific criteria training providers must meet in order to be included on the SETPL. Importantly, this law also provides that only providers included on the list are eligible to receive federal and State job training funding.
To avoid confusion with current law, especially because of the aforementioned federal and State funding implications, I am recommending changes to make the Department’s maintenance of the list permissive rather than mandatory. This change will give the Department the necessary flexibility to decide if, and when, to create an industry-valued credentials list.
Therefore, I herewith return Assembly Bill No. 5183 and recommend that it be amended as follows:
Page 2, Section 1, Line 8: Delete “shall” and insert “may”
Page 2, Section 1, Line 12: Delete “shall” and insert “may”
Page 2, Section 1, Line 15: Delete “shall” and insert “may”
Respectfully,
[seal]
/s/ Philip D. Murphy
Governor
Attest:
/s/ Kate E. McDonnell
Chief Counsel to the Governor