BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     SB 342


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          SENATE THIRD READING


          SB  
          342 (Jackson)


          As Amended  August 27, 2015


          Majority vote


          SENATE VOTE:  35-0


           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Committee       |Votes|Ayes                   |Noes                 |
          |                |     |                       |                     |
          |                |     |                       |                     |
          |                |     |                       |                     |
          |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------|
          |Labor           |7-0  |Roger Hernández,       |                     |
          |                |     |Harper, Chu, Low,      |                     |
          |                |     |McCarty, Patterson,    |                     |
          |                |     |Thurmond               |                     |
          |                |     |                       |                     |
          |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------|
          |Appropriations  |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, Bloom, |                     |
          |                |     |Bonta, Calderon,       |                     |
          |                |     |Chang, Daly, Eggman,   |                     |
          |                |     |Gallagher, Eduardo     |                     |
          |                |     |Garcia, Holden, Jones, |                     |
          |                |     |Quirk, Rendon, Wagner, |                     |
          |                |     |Weber, Wood            |                     |
          |                |     |                       |                     |
          |                |     |                       |                     |
           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 









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          SUMMARY:  Requires the California Workforce Development Board  
          (CWDB) to assist the Governor in helping individuals with  
          barriers to employment, including low-skill, low-wage workers,  
          the long-term unemployed, and members of single-parent  
          households, achieve economic security and upward mobility by  
          implementing policies that encourage the attainment of  
          marketable skills relevant to current labor market trends and  
          defines "earn and learn", as specified and incorporates language  
          adopted pursuant to AB 1270 (Garcia), Chapter 94, Statutes of  
          2015, to avoid chaptering issues.




          EXISTING LAW:    


          1)Provides, under the former federal Workforce Investment Act of  
            1998 (WIA), for activities and programs for job training and  
            employment investment in which states can participate,  
            including work incentive and employment training outreach  
            programs. 


          2)Establishes the CWDB and charged it 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.  


          3)Requires the CWDB, in collaboration with specified state and  
            local partners, and the local workforce investment boards  
            (LWIBs) to develop a strategic workforce plan to address the  
            state's economic, demographic, and workplace needs. 


          4)Provides that the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity  








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            Act (WIOA), signed into law on July 22, 2014, replaces the  
            WIA.  Among other things, the new federal WIOA is designed to  
            help job seekers access employment, education, training, and  
            support services to succeed in the labor market and to match  
            employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the  
            global economy.


          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, minor/absorbable costs to CWDB to implement workforce  
          policies consistent with the requirements of this bill. 


          COMMENTS:  According to the author this bill seeks to prioritize  
          funding for onsite compensated job training, keeping in line  
          with the WIOA, by emphasizing the benefit of onsite job training  
          for individuals with barriers to employment.  The author points  
          out that under this bill the CWDB would be directed to implement  
          policies encouraging the attainment of marketable skills  
          relevant to current labor market trends, which will lead to  
          economic security and upward mobility for those underserved  
          individuals with barriers to employment.


          Members of the CWDB are appointed by the Governor and represent  
          the many facets of workforce development - business, labor,  
          public education, higher education, economic development, youth  
          activities, employment and training, as well as the Legislature.


          The CWDB has adopted Sector Strategies as the statewide  
          framework for workforce development, and is working closely with  
          the Economic Strategy Panel, other State Agencies and  
          departments and its 49 local Workforce Investment Boards to  
          support the emergence of effective statewide and regionally  
          driven sector initiatives.


          Currently, the CWDB is responsible for assisting the Governor in  








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          all the functions outlined in the now outdated Workforce  
          Investment Act of 1998.  Through its broad membership, the CWDB  
          encourages collaboration among both State and local public and  
          private entities that have a vested interest in workforce  
          issues.


          Federal WIOA


          The federal WIOA was signed into law by President Obama on July  
          22, 2014, and is the first legislative reform of the public  
          workforce system in more than 15 years.  WIOA supersedes the  
          WIA.  WIOA brings together, in strategic coordination, the core  
          programs of federal investment in skill development, including  
          employment and training services for adults, dislocated workers,  
          youth, and individuals with disabilities.  WIOA also authorizes  
          programs for specific vulnerable populations including Indian  
          and Native Americans and migrant and seasonal farmworker  
          programs, among others. 


          See policy committee analysis for prior and related legislation.




          Analysis Prepared by:                                             
                          Lorie Alvarez / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091  FN:  
          0001539

















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