BILL ANALYSIS Ó Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations William W. Monning, Chair Date of Hearing: June 26, 2013 2013-2014 Regular Session Consultant: Martha Gutierrez Fiscal:No Urgency: No Bill No: AB 1315 Author: Speaker John A. Perez As Introduced/Amended: February 22, 2013 SUBJECT California Green Collar Jobs Act of 2008: Green Collar Jobs Council KEY ISSUE Should the Speaker of the Assembly and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate be added as members of the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) and the Green Collar Jobs Council? ANALYSIS Existing law establishes the California Workforce Investment Board (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. (Unemployment Insurance Code §§ 14010 and 14012) Existing law requires the CWIB to establish a special committee known as the Green Collar Jobs Council to develop a strategic initiative in the green workforce development area. (Unemployment Insurance Code § 15002) Existing law 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. (Unemployment Insurance Code § 15002) Existing law 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. Existing law also 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. (Unemployment Insurance Code § 15002) Existing law 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. (Unemployment Insurance Code § 15003) This Bill would add 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). COMMENTS 1. Need for this bill? 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 unless they were official 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 Hearing Date: June 26, 2013 AB 1315 Consultant: Martha Gutierrez Page 2 Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations 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. California's expanding green economy is attracting business investment, creating jobs and producing a more sustainable and energyindependent future. 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. By adding the Speaker and the Senate Pro Tempore 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. 2. Proponent Arguments : Proponents state that adding the Speaker and Pro Tempore to the California Workforce Investment Board and Green Collar Jobs Council will ensure that there is adequate representation which will help assist in the mission of the GCJC which is to focus on developing 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. 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. 3. Opponent Arguments : Received no opposition. 4. 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 Hearing Date: June 26, 2013 AB 1315 Consultant: Martha Gutierrez Page 3 Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations 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. SUPPORT California Federation of Teachers OPPOSITION None received. Hearing Date: June 26, 2013 AB 1315 Consultant: Martha Gutierrez Page 4 Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations