BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1315 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 8, 2013 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Roger Hernández, Chair AB 1315 (John A. Pérez) - As Introduced: February 22, 2013 SUBJECT : California Green Collar Jobs Act of 2008: Green Collar Jobs Council. SUMMARY : Adds the Speaker of the Assembly and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate as members of the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) and the Green Collar Jobs Council (GCJC). EXISTING LAW : 1)Establishes the CWIB, its membership which is appointed by the Governor, and outlines its responsibilities for assisting the Governor in all functions of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 for the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system, as also described by the Workforce Training Act of 2008. 2)Requires the CWIB to establish a special committee known as the GCJC to develop a strategic initiative in the green workforce development area. 3)Specifies that the GCJC shall develop the framework, funding strategies, programs, partnerships, and opportunities necessary to address the growing need for a highly skilled and well-trained workforce to meet the state's growing green economy. 4)Authorizes the CWIB to accept any revenues, monies, grants, goods, or services from federal and state entities, philanthropic organizations, and other sources, to be used for purposes relating to the administration and implementation of the strategic initiative. Authorizes the Employment Development Department (EDD), upon appropriation by the Legislature, to expend those monies and revenues for purposes of the strategic initiative and the award of grants. 5)Requires an annual report from the CWIB to the Legislature on the status of the GCJC activities, grants awarded and its development of an initiative. AB 1315 Page 2 FISCAL EFFECT : None COMMENTS : According to the author the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency recently determined that even though the Speaker of the Assembly and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate could be appointed to the CWIB by the Governor they could not participate or have representation on the GCJC because they were not members of the CWIB. The author points out that the GCJC was established and its duties outlined by legislation authored by two former Assembly Speakers. According to California's Green Workforce Master Plan from 2011, a guide for the GCJC, green economic growth is currently being driven by three factors; state and federal policy, technological advancements, and market demand. Californias expanding green economy is attracting business investment, creating jobs and producing a more sustainable and energyindependent future for the Golden State. Driving this new wave of innovation are the most ambitious environmental policies in the nation, business decisions that recognize sustainability as a way to improve the bottom line and generate return on investment, and the strong desire voiced by Californians that their state lead the way reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As a global leader in these three areas California is uniquely poised to capitalize on green innovation. The CWIB's Action Plans Executive Summary from August 2011 outlines that in 2010, teams in 10 regions spanning much of California began a journey that culminated a year later in more than 20 cluster action plans, with specific commitments for implementation focused on key workforce and economic priorities in green industries. Additionally, the Summary states that the State of California can work through its regions and their clusters of opportunity to seed and support concrete, specific strategies for economic recovery and growth. The state can also align policy to regional cluster needs and growth opportunities. To achieve this, policymakers could consult regional teams as a sounding board for legislative and executive actions that would most encourage cluster growth. AB 1315 Page 3 This legislation seeks to further the priorities of green jobs growth in our state by adding the Speaker of the Assembly and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate as members of the CWIB and the GCJC. As members of the board and council, they would be poised to take legislative action necessary to maintain and expand our state's leadership role in green economic industries. PRIOR LEGISLATION : AB 2696 (Bass) Chapter 396, Statutes of 2010 authorized the CWIB to accept any revenues, monies, grants, goods, or services from federal and state entities, philanthropic organizations, and other sources, to be used for purposes relating to the administration and implementation of the strategic initiative. Authorizes the EDD, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to expend those monies and revenues for purposes of the strategic initiative and the award of grants, among other things. The bill requires the CWIB annually to report to the Legislature on the status of GCJC activities AB 3018 (Nunez) Chapter 312, Statutes of 2008, established the GCJC within the CWIB. AB 3018 specified that the GCJC is comprised of the appropriate representatives from the CWIB's existing membership, including the K-12 representative, the California Community Colleges representative, the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency representative, the Employment Development Department (EDD) representative, and other appropriate members. AB 3018 also required the GCJC to develop a strategic initiative to identify and develop the framework, funding, strategies, programs, policies, partnerships, and opportunities necessary to address the growing need for a highly skilled and well-trained workforce to meet the needs of California's emerging green economy. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support AB 1315 Page 4 California Federation of Teachers Opposition None on file. Analysis Prepared by : Lorie Alvarez / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091