§ 8-15.7-102. State Apprenticeship Agency – Created – Director – Powers and Duties – Rules

1. There is hereby created in the department the state apprenticeship agency. The executive director shall appoint a director of the SAA. The SAA shall:
   1. Serve as the primary point of contact with the United States department of labor’s office of apprenticeship;
   2. Accelerate new apprenticeship program growth on a geographically diverse basis, especially in high-demand occupations, while ensuring quality standards;
   3. Encourage the development of and assist in the establishment of apprenticeship programs and promote enrollment in apprenticeship programs by providing technical and compliance assistance to sponsors, apprentices, and apprenticeship programs and ensuring program compliance with apprenticeship standards;
   4. Register and oversee apprenticeship programs and apprenticeship agreements;
   5. Issue certificates of registration to existing apprenticeship programs;
   6. Issue certificates of registration to sponsors of apprenticeship programs;
   7. Determine required standards for registration of an apprenticeship program;
   8. Perform quality assurance assessments;
   9. Approve the appropriate implementation of an apprenticeship program;
   10. Maintain adequate records concerning registration requirements, approved program standards, the apprentices in each registered apprenticeship program, deregistration actions, compliance reviews and investigations, and any other matters stipulated by the United States department of labor’s office of apprenticeship that are pertinent to compliance by apprenticeship programs with the requirements of this article 15.7;
   11. Monitor and evaluate apprenticeship programs’ performance and compliance with federal and state standards and report to the SAC and the IAC on the outcome of quality assurance assessments;
   12. Complete deregistration of apprenticeship programs that do not meet the requirements of this article 15.7;
   13. Review apprenticeship programs for reinstatement of registration;
   14. Submit an equal employment opportunity in apprenticeship state plan to the United States department of labor’s office of apprenticeship;
   15. Create a policy of reciprocity with other states to ensure the registration of apprenticeship programs;
   16. Award certificates of completion and monitor apprentices with active status, apprenticeship completions, and the ongoing operation of registered apprenticeship programs;
   17. Provide administrative support to the SAC and the IAC in carrying out their duties; and
   18. Work in partnership with relevant state agencies to reduce duplication of post-secondary program approval.
2. The SAA shall exercise its powers and perform its duties and functions under the department as if it were transferred to the department by a type 1 transfer, as described in section 24-1-105.
3. The SAA must follow all guidance documents issued by the United States department of labor’s office of apprenticeship.
4. The director may promulgate rules as necessary to implement this article 15.7, including rules affecting the registration, performance, and legal compliance of apprenticeship programs.

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added, (HB 21-1007), ch. 309, p. 1882, § 1, effective July 1.