Job Training Partnership Act Amendments of 1991

Job Training Partnership Act Amendments of 1991 - Title I: Amendments to the Job Training Partnership Act - Amends the Job Training Partnership Act (the Act) to authorize appropriations for: (1) Training Services for the Disadvantaged, Adult Opportunity Program; (2) the Youth Opportunity Program; (3) Employment and Training Assistance for Dislocated Workers (other than provisions for clean air employment transition assistance); (4) Federally Administered Programs (Employment and Training Programs for Native Americans and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers; Veterans' Employment Programs; National Activities; Labor Market Information; National Commission for Employment Policy; Training to Fulfill Affirmative Action Obligations); and (5) Job Corps. Authorizes appropriations for the new Youth Opportunities Unlimited Progam.

Defines "basic skills deficient" as reading or computing skills at or below 8th grade level. Adds organizations serving older workers to the list of community-based organizations. Strikes from such list the National Urban Indian Council. Revises the definition of "economically disadvantaged" to refer to income guidelines promulgated each year by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Revises the definition of "supportive services" to include drug and alcohol abuse counseling and referral and individual and family counseling.

Includes representatives of local welfare agencies on private industry councils (PICs).

Revises requirements for service delivery area (SDA) job training plans.

Revises requirements for performance standards to add measurement of increased basic education attainment and occupational skills (as well as the current measurement of increased employment and earnings and reduced welfare dependency). Provides for the following additional factors in performance standards for youth programs: (1) attainment of employment competencies; (2) secondary and postsecondary school completion or its equivalent; and (3) enrollment in other training programs or apprenticeships, or enlistment in the armed forces. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) to prescribe variations on such standards for youth programs to reflect the differences between in-school and out-of-school programs. Requires PIC's to determine levels for competency standards, based on factors such as entry skill levels and other hiring requirements. Directs Governors to award incentive funds to SDAs for achieving performance standard levels. Changes from discretionary to mandatory the authority of State Governors to prescribe variations in performance standards within certain parameters.

Requires selection of service providers on a competitive basis to the maximum extent possible. Requires such selection process to include: (1) determination of the service provider's ability to meet program design specifications; and (2) documentation of compliance with procurement standards.

Requires, with specified exceptions, that all expenditures under the Act be charged to appropriate cost categories. Establishes new cost categories and cost limitations for the Adult Opportunity and Youth Opportunity Programs.

Requires the Governor's coordination and special services plan to include descriptions of State coordination measures and projected grant uses.

Renames the State job training coordinating council the State human resource investment council.

Revises specified provisions for State education coordination and grants.

Repeals specified provisions for training programs for older workers.

Revises program requirements for service delivery systems. Exempts normal tuition charges for training or education from certain requirements for a breakdown of cost components. Limits the duration of on-the-job training to a period not in excess of that generally required for acquisition of skills needed for that position, but never exceeding six months. Requires on-the-job contracts to: (1) specify types and duration of training and other services; and (2) if an intermediary brokering contractor is used for placements, specify certain additional services and factors.

Allows a public or private nonprofit entity to retain any income earned under any program under the Act if it is used to carry out the program, even though financial assistance has expired.

Requires States to establish fiscal control and fund accounting procedures to ensure proper disbursal and accounting of Federal funds. Requires the Governor to establish procurement standards for States, local areas, and SDA's to ensure that specified criteria are met.

Revises reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Requires recipients to maintain and provide to the Secretary standardized records of a sufficient number of individual participants to provide an adequate sample size to allow for preparation of national estimates to meet specified requirements.

Requires States, administrative entities conducting the program, and recipients (other than sub-recipients) to monitor the performance of service providers.

Requires Governors to ensure that requirements are established for retention of records for specified periods.

Revises training services for disadvantaged adults and renames them the Adult Opportunity Program. Sets forth new eligibility requirements and a new formula for the allotment of funds to the disadvantaged adult program. Requires that the following features be included in all individual adult programs: (1) assessment of skill levels and service needs; (2) service strategy; (3) progress review; and (4) where appropriate, basic and occupational skills training. Requires SDAs to link with: (1) other specified Federal programs; and (2) State, local, and private programs, as appropriate. Allows an SDA to transfer up to ten percent of adult program funds to the youth program under certain conditions.

Revises training services for disadvantaged youth and renames them the Youth Opportunity Program. Sets forth new eligibility requirements and a new formula for the allotment of funds to the disadvantaged youth program. Requires that the following features be included in all individual youth programs: (1) assessment of skill levels and service needs; (2) service strategy; (3) progress review; and (4) where appropriate, training in basic, occupational, pre-employment, and work maturity skills, work experience combined with skills training, and supportive services. Requires SDAs to link the youth program with: (1) other specified Federal programs; and (2) as appropriate, State, local, and private programs. Allows an SDA to transfer up to ten percent of youth program funds to the adult program under certain conditions.

Provides, with respect to employment and training assistance for dislocated workers, that an eligible dislocated worker participating in training (except on-the-job training) shall be deemed to be in training with the approval of the State agency for purposes of unemployment compensation.

Increases from ten to 20 percent of total enrollment the allowable number of nonresidential participants enrolled in the Job Corps in any year. Requires that, in enrolling nonresident participants, priority be given to those eligible individuals who are single parents with dependent children.

Establishes a new Youth Opportunities Unlimited Program. Authorizes the Secretary to establish such national progam of Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) grants to pay 50 percent of of the cost of comprehensive education, training, and supportive services for youth in high poverty areas in urban and rural areas. Requires such grants to be awarded to the local service delivery area (on behalf of the participating community) in which the target area is located (or to designated grantees if the target area is in a migrant worker community, Indian reservation, or Alaskan native village).

Authorizes the Secretary to select as grant recipients up to 25 communities in the first year after the program is in effect.

Makes such grants cover a three-year period, with each year conditional upon compliance.

Authorizes participating communities to apply for grants for use on behalf of target areas. Requires that a designated target area have not more than 25,000 population. Requires that program funds be used for services to youth ages 14 through 21.

Title II: State Human Resource Investment Council - Requires each State which receives assistance under applicable programs to establish a single State human resource investment council to review and advise on coordination of applicable programs under: (1) the Adult Education Act; (2) the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act; (3) the Job Training Partnership Act; (4) the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (5) the Wagner-Peyser Act; (6) the JOBS program of the Social Security Act; and (7) specified provisions of the Food Stamp Act of 1977.