This act shall be known and may be cited as the "youth employment clearinghouse act".

     As used in this act:

    (a) "Clearinghouse" means the youth employment clearinghouse created in section 3.

    (b) "Department" means the department of labor.

    (c) "Youth employment program" means all programs, both public and private, which are totally or partially funded with state or federal money, and which are organized for the purpose of alleviating the youth unemployment problem among youth 14 through 23 years of age.

     There is created within the department a youth employment clearinghouse.

     The clearinghouse shall:

    (a) Collect and assemble data by age, sex, race, geographic area, and other relevant characteristics on unemployed youth 14 through 23 years of age.

    (b) Establish, in consultation with directors of youth employment programs, criteria for evaluating youth employment programs. The criteria shall set forth program objectives and performance standards. The criteria shall go beyond demographic data on program participants and shall include the impact of the program on participants and on the community served by the program.

    (c) Collect data on and monitor on-going youth employment programs, based on the criteria developed pursuant to subdivision (b).

    (d) Make evaluations of youth employment programs which combine the criteria developed pursuant to subdivision (b) and the data and other information collected pursuant to subdivision (c) to reach conclusions concerning the degree to which youth employment programs and their components have met the criteria developed pursuant to subdivision (b).

    (e) Make recommendations and serve as a source of information concerning youth employment programs for the legislature, the governor, department heads, prime sponsors, program directors, and others involved in youth employment programs.

    (f) Submit each January 1 an annual program plan to the legislature and governor. The program plan shall indicate the amount and nature of youth unemployment, assess the degree and nature of cooperation and coordination among public and private agencies involved in youth employment programs, recommend how problem areas may be corrected, and make recommendations concerning the funding of youth employment programs.

    (g) Be responsible for the development of a program of public information which will inform youth of existing youth employment programs and educate the public and employers concerning the nature of youth unemployment problems.

    (1) Units of state government and other public and private entities receiving state funds, which are sponsoring or directing youth employment programs, shall make data and other nonconfidential information available to the clearinghouse on request.

    (2) The clearinghouse shall work to develop cooperative relationships with public and private entities, which sponsor or direct youth employment programs but which do not receive state funds, in order to facilitate the voluntary sharing of data and other nonconfidential information.