BILL NUMBER: ACR 119	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2014
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 26, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 4, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 2, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Muratsuchi
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Lieu)

                        MARCH 6, 2014

   Relative to the California Community Colleges.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 119, Muratsuchi. Community colleges: career technical
education.
   This measure would encourage the Chancellor of the California
Community Colleges, in consultation with affected stakeholders, to
develop options to address the long-term funding needs of career
technical education and other workforce and training programs at the
campuses of the California Community Colleges, and to submit those
options to the Legislature before April 1, 2015, so it may address
these funding concerns during its 2015-16 Regular Session.



   WHEREAS, The California Community Colleges comprises the nation's
largest system of higher education with 112 colleges that serve more
than 2.3 million students each academic year; and
   WHEREAS, The community colleges play an important role in boosting
our state's economy and providing students with the education,
training, and skills necessary to keep our state and nation globally
competitive; and
   WHEREAS, The community colleges offer a broad array of
career-oriented courses, certificates, and associate degrees through
career technical education (CTE) and other workforce and training
programs; and
   WHEREAS, Recent high school graduates, underemployed and
unemployed adults, incumbent workers searching for career
advancement, veterans, and college graduates seeking retraining can
all benefit from CTE and other workforce and training programs; and
   WHEREAS, A college degree or industry-recognized certificate is
the principal pathway to personal economic security; and
   WHEREAS, After several years of budget cuts during the recession,
California community college, CTE, and other workforce and training
course offerings have been reduced; and
   WHEREAS, California has seen cutbacks of more than $500 million in
programs that prepare individuals for employment; and
   WHEREAS, CTE and other workforce and training programs are often
expensive due to the need for smaller class sizes and specialized
equipment and facilities; and
   WHEREAS, Prioritizing existing CTE and other workforce and
training resources in major regional industry sectors may help close
the skills gap in our state's labor force; and
   WHEREAS, CTE and other workforce and training programs in the
California Community Colleges lack adequate long-term funding to meet
the needs of today's growing economy; and
   WHEREAS, Any change to funding for CTE and other workforce and
training programs at the California Community Colleges requires the
enactment of legislation; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature encourages the Chancellor of
the California Community Colleges, in consultation with affected
stakeholders, including, but not limited to, experts in the field of
CTE, business and industry representatives, faculty, and organized
labor representatives to develop at least three options to address
the long-term funding needs of CTE and other workforce and training
programs at the campuses of the California Community Colleges, in a
manner that adequately funds the programs that regions deem valuable
to their economies, and to submit those options to the Legislature
before April 1, 2015; and be it further
   Resolved, That it is the intent of the Legislature during the
2015-16 Regular Session to address the long-term funding needs of CTE
and other workforce and training programs at the campuses of the
California Community Colleges; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.