Section 7-A. Commission on increasing diversity in the state government workforce

1.  There  is  hereby  established  in  the  department   an  independent  commission  on increasing diversity in the state government
  workforce. Such commission shall not be subject to  the  supervision  or
  control  of  the  department,  the  commission  or  the  president.  The
  commission on increasing diversity in  the  state  government  workforce
  shall  examine,  evaluate  and  make  recommendations concerning ways to
  increase the number of minority workers in state service.
    2. The commission on increasing  diversity  in  the  state  government
  workforce  shall  be  composed  of  fifteen  members, to be appointed as
  follows: nine members shall be appointed by the governor, three  members
  shall  be  appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and three
  members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. Of  the  nine
  members  appointed  by the governor, at least one member shall represent
  each of the following: the department, the office of employee relations,
  the  governor's  appointments   office,   a   prominent   civil   rights
  organization  representing blacks, a prominent civil rights organization
  representing  Hispanics,  and  a  prominent  civil  rights  organization
  representing   Asians.  All  the  members  appointed  by  the  temporary
  president of the senate  and  the  speaker  of  the  assembly  shall  be
  representatives of a protected class as established by federal statutory
  or  case law. Every member of the commission shall serve at the pleasure
  of the official who appointed him or her. The members shall  be  broadly
  representative  of  the  geographic  areas  of the state and the diverse
  minority communities of the state.  The  governor  shall  designate  the
  chair and vice-chair of the commission from among his or her appointees.
  Vacancies  in  the  membership  of the commission shall be filled in the
  manner provided for original appointments.
    3. The commission on increasing  diversity  in  the  state  government
  workforce:
    (a)  shall  recommend ways in which to increase the number of minority
  workers in state service;
    (b) shall study how to diversify the workforce in state service during
  the replacement of the existing workforce as it ages out and retires;
    (c) shall review the diversity hiring practices of  other  states  and
  the  federal government, including reviewing the Presidential Management
  Interim  Program  model  for  recruiting  and  advancing  Hispanic   and
  African-American  college  graduates,  and  recommend  the  best outcome
  practices;
    (d) shall review and recommend changes  to  the  existing  hiring  and
  promotion  practices  that  will  help  diversify  the  workers in state
  service at all levels of service;
    (e) shall review and recommend the means  by  which  to  best  provide
  information  to students and faculty at colleges and universities in the
  state on the employment and promotion opportunities in state service;
    (f) shall review and recommend  recruiting  and  employment  practices
  that  will  bring  Hispanics  into  jobs classified as shortage category
  occupations, as well as other occupations;
    (g) shall review and recommend any flexibilities  that  exist  in  the
  state  civil  service system to bring minorities into jobs classified as
  shortage category occupations, as well as other occupations;
    (h) shall review and recommend procedures that the  department  should
  take  to  develop  and  promote  the  participation  of  minority  state
  employees in career development programs;
    (i) may meet within and without the state, shall hold public  hearings
  and shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursuant to the
  legislative law;

    (j)  to  the maximum extent feasible, shall be entitled to request and
  receive, and  shall  utilize  and  be  provided  with  such  facilities,
  resources  and  data  of any court, department, division, board, bureau,
  commission or agency of the  state  as  it  may  reasonably  request  to
  properly carry out its powers and duties pursuant to this section; and
    (k) (1) shall, on or before April first, two thousand seven, report to
  the   governor   and  the  legislature  its  findings,  conclusions  and
  recommendations,
    (2) shall, on or before April first, two thousand eight, report to the
  governor and the legislature on the status of and any actions  taken  on
  the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraph one of this paragraph,
  and
    (3)  shall, on or before April first, two thousand nine, report to the
  governor and the legislature on the status of and any actions  taken  on
  the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraph one of this paragraph,
  and  which actions have and have not been taken to provide for diversity
  in the state government workforce.
    4. The members of the commission on increasing diversity in the  state
  government  workforce  shall receive no compensation for their services,
  but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the
  performance of their duties pursuant to this section.