§ 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.