BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 342
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Date of Hearing: August 19, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
SB 342
(Jackson) - As Amended August 17, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the California Workforce Development Board
(CWDB) to assist the Governor in helping individuals with
barriers to employment to achieve economic security and upward
mobility by implementing policies that encourage the attainment
SB 342
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of marketable skills relevant to current labor market trends.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Defines "earn and learn" as a program that combines
applied-learning in a workplace setting with compensation, as
specified, or a program that brings together classroom
instruction with on-the-job training to combine both formal
instruction and actual paid work experience.
2)Incorporates language adopted pursuant to AB 1270 (Garcia),
Chapter 94, Statutes of 2015 to avoid chaptering issues.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor/absorbable costs to CWDB to implement workforce policies
consistent with the requirements of this bill.
COMMENTS:
1)Background. The former federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
of 1998 provided for state's participation in activities and
programs for job training and employment investment, including
work incentive and employment training outreach programs.
Following passage of the federal WIA, the state established
the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) and charged
the board with the responsibility of developing a unified,
strategic planning process to coordinate various education,
training, and employment programs into an integrated workforce
development system that supports economic development.
The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of
2014 reauthorized the nation's employment, training, adult
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education, and vocational rehabilitation programs created
under WIA. SB 1270, enacted earlier this year, makes the
necessary changes to existing workforce development statutes
to conform state law to the new federal guidelines under WIOA
while preserving core elements of California's workforce
development policies. AB 1270 also renamed the California
Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) the California Workforce
Development Board (CWDB).
2)Purpose. Consistent with the goals of WIOA and the state's
workforce development policies, this bill expands the duties
of the CWDB to also implement policies to help individuals
with barriers to employment, including low-skill, low-wage
workers, the long-term unemployed, and members of
single-parent households. This change in law is intended to
prioritize critical workforce development policies for these
hard to serve communities.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081