EXECUTIVE ORDER 01.01.2023.22

(Rescinds Executive Order 01.01.2015.19)

Governor's Workforce Development Board

A. Establishment. There is a Governor's Workforce Development Board (the “Board”).

B. Duties and Responsibilities.

(1) The Board shall serve as the Governor’s chief strategic and policy-making body for workforce development by engaging key business, labor, education, community, and State and local government leaders to collaborate on business-led workforce approaches that advance Maryland’s economic competitiveness and build pathways to work, wages and wealth for all Marylanders.

(2) The priorities of the Board shall include, but are not limited to:

(a) Building talent pipelines to supercharge growth in Maryland’s key industry sectors;

(b) Addressing barriers to employment experienced by underserved populations;

(c) Expanding access to affordable, high-quality, career-connected experiential learning and industry-recognized credentials, including apprenticeship and career and technical education opportunities;

(d) Aligning systems, services and resources to strategically leverage Maryland’s assets; and

(e) Supporting collaboration with local workforce development boards and other local stakeholders to ensure those closest to workforce challenges are central to the solutions.

(3) The Board shall execute the duties and responsibilities enumerated in the 2014 Act, including:

(a) Help to set and communicate the Governor’s workforce development vision, goals, and strategy;

(b) Align activities of key business, labor, education, workforce development, cabinet and local stakeholders to execute that vision;

(c) Develop industry partnerships to support workforce development goals;

(d) Direct or recommend funding to support those activities as appropriate;

(e) Offer policy recommendations to the Governor’s office for consideration;

(f) Support the continuous improvement of workforce development system and program performance;

(g) Develop other policies as may promote statewide objectives for and enhance the performance of the workforce development system in the State;

(h) Assist and advise the Governor on the development, implementation, and modification of the State Plan under the 2014 Act;

(i) Develop the statewide workforce and labor market information system described in the Wagner-Peyser Act; and

(j) Prepare the 2014 Act annual reports.

C. Membership. The Board shall include but is not limited to the following members:

(1) The Governor;

(2) One member of the Maryland Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(3) One member of the Maryland House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(4) The following Maryland Officials:

(a) The Secretary of Labor;

(b) The Secretary of Commerce;

(c) The Secretary of Higher Education;

(d) The State Superintendent of Schools;

(e) Two chief elected officials, who collectively represent both cities and counties, and,

(f) Any individual that may be required by Annotated Code of Maryland, Education §21-209(d); and

(5) Members appointed by the Governor, which must include:

(a) A majority of the Board membership representing businesses in the State including:

(i) At least one representative who is selected from nominations by State business organizations and business trade associations;

(ii) Owners of businesses, chief executives or operating officers of business, or other business executives or employers with optimum policymaking or hiring authority, and who, in addition, may be members of a local workforce development board; and

(iii) Representatives of businesses, or organizations representing businesses described in this section, that provide employment opportunities that include high-quality, work-relevant training and development in in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the State; and

(iv) At least one member representing small businesses as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

(b) Not less than 20 percent of the Board membership representing workforce within the State appointed by the Governor including:

(i) At least two representatives of labor organizations nominated by state labor federations;

(ii) At least one representative who is a member of a labor organization or a training director from a joint labor-management apprenticeship program;

(iii) One president from a community college;

(iv) The President of the Maryland Workforce Association; and

(v) Other representatives of the workforce or workforce development community that may include community-based organizations with demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the employment, training or education needs of youth and adults, particularly those with barriers to employment, such as returning citizens, veterans and individuals with disabilities.

(6) The Board shall also include the following ex officio, non-voting members who are asked to serve in an advisory capacity and to partner on relevant initiatives of the Board:

(a) The Secretary of Aging;

(b) The Secretary of Service and Civic Innovation;

(c) The Secretary of Disabilities;

(d) The Secretary of Health;

(e) The Secretary of Housing and Community Development;

(f) The Secretary of Human Services;

(g) The Secretary of Juvenile Services;

(h) The Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services;

(i) The Secretary of Transportation; and

(j) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

(7) The membership and operations of the Board shall conform to the requirements set forth in the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.

(8) To the extent practicable, the membership of the Board shall reflect the race, gender, age, and geographic diversity of the population of the State.

(9) Members appointed by the Governor under C(5)(a), C(5)(b)(i) through (iii), and C(5)(b)(v) shall serve four-year staggered terms. All other members shall serve so long as they hold the office or designation stipulated under C(1) through (4), C(5)(b)(iv), and C(6).

(10) The Governor shall designate a Chairperson who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Chairperson shall be a business representative serving pursuant to C(5)(a) and may not be an elected official or an employee of the State of Maryland or any local government.

(11) Members of the Board may not receive any compensation for their service, but may receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the State Travel Regulations and as provided in the State budget.

(12) Members of the Board are subject to the State Public Ethics Law and are required to file annual financial disclosures unless otherwise exempted by law.

D. Procedures.

(1) The Board shall hold publicly announced meetings at such times and such places as it deems necessary. The meetings shall be open and accessible to the general public in accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act or other applicable law.

(2) A quorum for voting purposes shall be the presence of a majority of the members of the Board. Board members cannot delegate their authority and cannot send a representative in their place for quorum or voting purposes.

(3) The Board is authorized to obtain such professional, technical, and clerical personnel and assistance as may be necessary to carry out its functions, in accordance with the appropriate State budgetary and administrative requirements.

(4) The Board may establish an Executive Committee composed of members appointed by the Chairperson as designated in the bylaws. At least 51 percent of the members of the Executive Committee must be business members appointed under C(5)(a).

(5) The Board may delegate to the Executive Committee any of the powers of the Board except those powers which are required by law to be exercised by the Board. The Chairperson may also appoint ad-hoc committees as appropriate as provided in the bylaws.

(6) Board members who do not attend at least two-thirds of the scheduled Board meetings in a twelve month period are considered to have resigned unless a waiver is granted by the Governor.

(7) The Board members and staff shall collaborate with staff of the State’s workforce development agency on workforce development strategies, policies, and programs as needed to ensure that the Board’s functions regarding statewide strategy, policy, partnerships and workforce system governance are well-coordinated with the operations of key workforce development programs, and to ensure that Maryland’s businesses, residents, local workforce development boards and other workforce development stakeholders experience a coherent and coordinated workforce system that supports economic competitiveness, talent pipelines for businesses, and access to opportunity for all Marylanders.

(8) The Board is authorized to explore public-private partnership opportunities and, as it deems necessary, to establish processes or mechanisms, conforming with State law, by which to accept financial resources from philanthropic organizations to support the Board’s capacity to conduct activities related to the responsibilities above.

E. Reporting: The Board shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly as soon as possible after January 1 of each year.

F. This Executive Order shall be implemented in a manner that is consistent with all applicable statutes and regulations. Nothing in this Executive Order shall operate to contravene any State or federal law or to affect the State's receipt of federal funding

Effective Date: December 21, 2023.