SJR 10, as amended, Lieu. Workforce Investment Act: reauthorization by the United States Congress.
This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the federal Workforce Investment Act and to include specified policies and strategies in support of the act.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Over 8 million people were served nationally by
2the public workforce system funded by the federal Workforce
P1 1Investment Act (WIA) (29 U.S.C. Sec. 2801 et seq.), a 234 percent
2increase in participation rates in just two years; and
3WHEREAS, Over 4.3 million WIA participants found jobs
4through the public workforce system; and
5WHEREAS, The policy of investing in a highly productive
6workforce through programs that foster skills, attainment, and
7human capital development is important to ensure that California
8and the United States can compete in the global economy; and
9WHEREAS, The policy of investing in programs that foster
10skills attainment and human capital development is important for
11achieving employment, economic security, and opportunities for
12career advancement and upward mobility for WIA service
13recipients; and
14WHEREAS, While the national economy is beginning to expand,
15there continue to be areas of high unemployment throughout
16California that are lagging behind the nation’s recovery from the
17recession; and
18WHEREAS, The federal budget for Fiscal Year 2010 and going
19forward has reduced available funding for an array of national
20workforce programs targeting dislocated workers, low-income
21adults, veterans, disconnected young adults, and other highly
22vulnerable groups in the labor market; and
23WHEREAS, The Department of Labor has been extremely
24supportive of operating and evaluating the Adult and Dislocated
25Workers Program and Youth Employment and Youth Build
26programs; and
27WHEREAS, Policies need to be established to ensure program
28responsiveness to the needs of employers, workers, and students
29who benefit from investment in the workforce; and
30WHEREAS, Policies need to be established to encourage
31collaboration between state and local workforce investment boards
32and the stakeholders whom they serve, including businesses,
33unions, nonprofit organizations, K-12 programs, career technical
34education programs, basic skills programs, and systems of higher
35education including community colleges; and
36WHEREAS, Policies need to be established to link program
37service delivery strategies to data analysis, ensuring that program
38practices are evidence based; and
39WHEREAS, Policies need to be established to ensure that
40programs and services are outcome oriented and accountable,
P3 1measuring results for program participants, including outcomes
2related to program completion, skills attainment, employment, and
3earnings; and
4WHEREAS, Policies need to be established to ensure that
5programs are accessible to employers, workers, and students,
6including disadvantaged populations and individuals with
7employment barriers; and
8WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
9ensure that state and local workforce investment boards are
10representative of relevant stakeholders, including business and
11labor leaders from statewide, regional, and locally competitive or
12emergent industry sectors; and
13WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
14utilize demand-driven strategies, including sector-based strategies,
15that are connected to regional economies and labor markets,
16particularly those strategies that link investment in skills attainment
17with the skills needs of competitive or emergent industry sectors;
18and
19WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
20expand opportunities for skills attainment, lifelong learning, and
21enrollment in learn and earn programs which prepare workers for
22jobs with a future; and
23WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
24ensure adequate funding for programs that have demonstrated
25success in engaging at risk populations, including high risk youth,
26and are instrumental in developing a competitive workforce. These
27include career pathways programs, summer youth employment
28programs, contextualized adult basic skills education and G.E.D.
29literacy programs, vocational training, and incumbent worker
30programs; and
31WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
32prioritize service strategies that target disadvantaged populations,
33including strategies that expand outreach to immigrant
34communities; and
35WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
36utilize service delivery models that are efficient and effective by
37encouraging and strengthening collaborative partnerships that
38leverage the infrastructures, expertise, and resources of service
39providers, educational institutions, businesses and unions, and
40other stakeholders. These may include, when appropriate, One-Stop
P4 1Career Centers or other service delivery models facilitating
2individuals’ access to employment programs, services and training
3opportunities; and
4WHEREAS, Congress should include measures in the WIA to
5provide incentives for public-private partnerships; now, therefore,
6be it
7Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
8California, jointly, That the California State Legislature urges the
9Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Workforce
10Investment Act this year and include in it the policies and strategies
11referenced above; and be it further
12Resolved, That the California State Legislature calls on business
13leaders to collaborate with the State Workforce Investment Board
14and local workforce investment boards in California to coinvest
15in workforce education and career exploration counseling for high
16school students and workers of all ages and to work with education
17and local leaders to develop appropriate curriculum that is
18responsive to workforce trends and results in industry-recognized
19credentials that have currency in the job market.
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