Both the Louisiana House and Senate recently approved legislation to overhaul Louisiana’s workforce development system aimed to plug 100,000 job vacancies throughout the state.

“The overwhelming support for this legislation is proof that Louisiana is ready for dramatic improvements in the way we serve employers and jobseekers in our state,” Louisiana Department of Labor Secretary Tim Barfield said in a press release. The approval of SB 612 and HB 1104 sends the companion bills for further review to both the House and Senate’s Committees on Labor and Industrial Relations. Several area legislators co-sponsored the bills, including House reps. Tim Burns, R-Mandeville, Greg Cromer, R-Slidell and John Schroder, R-Covington, and Sens. A.G. Crowe, R-Slidell, Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, Julie Quinn, R-Metairie and Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville.

If approved, the bills will create a single commission to maintain comprehensive labor market data, provide grants and provide a one-stop shop for job placement and development. The bill would also change the name of the Louisiana Workforce Commission to the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council. “By integrating all components of workforce development – education, training, employment and related services – we can do a much better job of supplying a workforce that can sustain a healthy, growing economy in Louisiana,” Barfield said.

The bills also would require the commission carry out existing functions of the Department of Labor, such as administering the unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems.

“A major focus for our agency is addressing the gap that exists between employee skills and employer needs,” Barfield said.

In its latest unemployment report, the Department of Labor indicated St. Tammany was the third highest parish in its region with residents filing unemployment claims for the week ending May 3.