It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 28-42-84 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-42 entitled "Employment Security - General Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows:

28-42-84. Job development fund -- Disbursements -- Unexpended balance -- (a) The moneys in the job development fund shall be used for the following purposes:

(1) To reimburse the department of labor and training for the loss of any federal funds resulting from the collection and maintenance of the fund by the department;

(2) To make refunds of contributions erroneously collected and deposited in the fund;

(3) To pay any administrative expenses incurred by the department of labor and training associated with the collection of the contributions for employers paid pursuant to section 28-43-8.5, and any other administrative expenses associated with the maintenance of the fund, including the payment of all premiums upon bonds required pursuant to section 28-42-85;

(4) To provide for job training, counseling and assessment services, and other related activities and services. Services will include but are not limited to research, development, coordination, and training activities to promote workforce development and business development as established by the human resource investment council; and

(5) To support the state's job training for economic development. ;and

(6) Beginning January 1, 2001, two hundredths of one percent (0.02%) out of the twenty-one hundredths of one percent (0.21%) job development assessment paid pursuant to section 28-43-8.5 shall be used to support necessary core services in the unemployment insurance and employment services programs operated by the department of labor and training.

(b) The general treasurer shall pay all vouchers duly drawn by the council upon the fund, in such amounts and in such manner as the council may prescribe. Vouchers so drawn upon the fund shall be referred to the controller within the department of administration. Upon receipt of those vouchers, the controller shall immediately record and sign them and shall promptly transfer those vouchers so signed to the general treasurer; provided, however, that those expenditures shall be used solely for the purposes herein specified and its balance shall not lapse at any time but shall remain continuously available for expenditures consistent herewith. Beginning July 1, 1989 and thereafter, the general assembly shall annually appropriate the funds contained in the fund for the use of the human resource investment council. and, in addition, for the use of the department of labor and training beginning July 1, 2001.

SECTION 2. Section 28-43-8.5 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-43 entitled "Employment Security - Contributions" is hereby amended to read as follows:

28-43-8.5. Job development assessment. -- For the tax year 1994 2001 and subsequent tax years each employer subject to this chapter shall be required to pay a job development assessment of nineteen hundredths of one percent (.19%) twenty-one hundredths of one percent (0.21%) of that employer's taxable payroll, in addition to any other payment which that employer is required to make under any other provision of this chapter; provided, however, that the assessment shall not be considered as part of the individual employer's contribution rate for the purpose of determining the individual employer's balancing charge pursuant to section28-43-9. Provided further however that the tax rate for all employers subject to the contribution provisions of chapters 42 -- 44 of this title shall be reduced by nineteen hundredths of one percent (.19%). twenty-one hundredths of one percent (0.21%).

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.