Section 301. Mature worker task force

1. For the purposes of this article,
  the  term  "task  force"  shall  mean  the  mature  worker  task   force
  established by this section.
    2.  (a)  There is hereby established within the office a mature worker
  task force. The purpose of the task force shall  be  to  coordinate  the
  state's  efforts  to  assist older persons who choose to work and remain
  self-sufficient throughout their lives, or  who  choose  to  work  after
  retirement;  to support business growth and development across the state
  in light of  increasing  aging  workforce;  and  to  combat  ageism  and
  stereotypes.
    (b) The task force shall be composed of nineteen members as follows:
    (1) Seven ex-officio members as follows:
    (i) the director, who shall serve as co-chair of the task force;
    (ii)  the  commissioner  of  labor, who shall serve as co-chair of the
  task force;
    (iii) the commissioner of education;
    (iv) the commissioner of mental health;
    (v) the president of the state civil service commission;
    (vi) the chairman of the Urban Development Corporation; and
    (vii) the commissioner of the department of economic development.
    Any ex-officio member may designate a representative to act on his  or
  her behalf;
    (2)   Two   members   appointed   by   the   governor,  who  shall  be
  representatives of not-for-profit corporations the primary  purposes  of
  which   are   to  provide  employment  services  to  older  persons  and
  specifically serve them in their efforts to develop the requisite skills
  for an ever changing job market;
    (3)  Two  members  appointed   by   the   governor,   who   shall   be
  representatives of organizations representing business interests;
    (4) Three members appointed by the governor upon the nomination of the
  temporary president of the senate, of whom one shall be a representative
  of organized labor, one shall be a research expert in the field of older
  worker employment issues and one shall be a mature worker;
    (5) Three members appointed by the governor upon the nomination of the
  speaker  of  the  assembly,  of  whom  one  shall be a representative of
  organized labor, one shall be a research expert in the  field  of  older
  worker employment issues and one shall be a mature worker;
    (6)  One  member  appointed by the governor upon the nomination of the
  minority leader of the senate; and
    (7) One member appointed by the governor upon the  nomination  of  the
  minority leader of the assembly.
    (c)  The  administrative  support  of  the task force shall be equally
  provided by the office and the department of labor.
    3. Powers and duties. The task force shall have the  following  powers
  and duties:
    (a)  to  facilitate  interagency  planning and policy, review specific
  agency initiatives for their impact on mature  workers  and  businesses,
  provide a continuing forum to discuss concerns and issues related to the
  formulation  of  state policy designed to help address this policy area,
  and  develop  linkages  and  partnerships  with  businesses  and   other
  appropriate  entities  to  assist  such  businesses  in  identifying and
  helping them to fill their workforce needs;
    (b) to identify  existing  statutory  and  regulatory  provisions  and
  business  practices  that  limit  opportunities  for  mature workers and
  develop  legislative  and   regulatory   proposals   to   address   such
  limitations;

    (c)  to  identify  best  practices  in  the private sector for hiring,
  retaining and retraining mature workers, and serve as a  clearing  house
  of such information;
    (d)  to  assess  the  effectiveness  and  costs of programs that state
  agencies have implemented to hire, retain and  retrain  mature  workers,
  and  recommend  cost-effective  programs for all state agencies to hire,
  retain and retrain older workers;
    (e) to meet  quarterly  or  more  frequently  if  its  business  shall
  require;
    (f)  to  develop  recommendations  and  proposals  for a mature worker
  employment training program and a mature worker business initiative;
    (g) to annually report to the  governor  and  the  legislature  on  or
  before   June   thirtieth,   commencing   in  two  thousand  eight,  its
  recommendations for  state  policy  relating  to  mature  workers,  best
  practices  in  the  business sector for hiring, retaining and retraining
  mature workers, and a review of services initiated and coordinated among
  public and private agencies that meet the needs of older workers who are
  seeking to remain active in the workforce. The report required  by  this
  subdivision shall be posted on the office's internet website; and
    (h)  to  serve  as  the focal point for the development of coordinated
  responses by the  various  state  agencies  with  regard  to  issues  of
  importance  to mature workers to ensure timely and appropriate responses
  to issues and problems.
    4.  Implementation.  (a)  The  office  shall  collaborate   with   the
  department  of  labor  on  issues  related  to the development of mature
  worker support initiatives and enhancing access  by  mature  workers  to
  existing  training  and  employment  services funded through federal and
  state resources.
    (b) The office shall utilize the data  and  information  compiled  and
  maintained  by  the  task  force to coordinate state funded research and
  employment training efforts to ensure the most efficient  use  of  funds
  available for such purposes.