Amended in Assembly April 16, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 930

Introduced by Assembly Members Irwin and Atkins

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(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Mathis)

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Brough, Brown, Frazier, and Salas)

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February 26, 2015

An act to add Section 980.7 to the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 930, as amended, Irwin. Work for Warriors program.

Existing law establishes the begin delete office of Adjutant General in the California Military Department, as the commander of all state military forces. end delete begin insert California Military Department, which includes the office of the Adjutant General, the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, the California Cadet Corps, and the Naval Militia. end insert Existing law provides for educational and housing assistance for veterans.

This bill would authorize the begin delete Adjutant General end delete begin insert California Military Department end insert to establish a Work for Warriors program, to provide direct placement job services to service members, veterans, begin delete and military families. end delete begin insert military families, and other related populations. end insert The bill would authorize the begin delete Adjutant General to accept federal funding to supplement this program and to enter into a memorandum of agreement with other state agencies. The bill would authorize the Employment Development Department to enter into an interagency partnership with the Adjutant General for purposes of the Work for Warriors program. end delete begin insert department to accept federal funding to supplement this program, and to adopt regulations, rules, and guidelines as are necessary to implement the program. end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(1) Established in 2012 with a grant from the Speaker of the
Assembly, the California Military Department’s Work for Warriors
program provides direct-placement employment services to
California’s veterans, military spouses, and dependents.

(2) The most successful program of its kind in the nation, the
Work for Warriors program has placed more than begin delete 3,600 end delete begin insert 3,900 end insert
veterans in new careers.

(3) Due to the downsizing of the United States Armed Forces,
the number of veterans entering the workforce is increasing. The
Work for Warriors program is a key resource for veterans leaving
active duty and transitioning to private sector employment in
California.

(4) Based on its high success rate and low cost per placement,
the Work for Warriors program is the most effective veterans’ job
placement program in the country. At present, there are nearly
120,000 service members eligible for assistance from the Work
for Warriors program residing within the state. This number nearly
doubles when estimating spouses’ job placement services and
triples when considering dependent job placement. Already the
lowest cost program in the country, with a per-placement cost of
begin delete $400 end delete begin insert $750 end insert (compared to other veteran employment programs that
cost $10,000 per placement), the Work for Warriors program is
the most efficient and cost-effective program available.

(5) Over begin delete 200 end delete begin insert 250 end insert leading businesses in the state are partnered
with the Work for Warriors program. These companies understand
the benefit of hiring a veteran, as they receive employees that are
disciplined, selfless leaders.

(6) Subject to the availability of funding, the Employment
Development Department may resource and partner with the Work
for Warriors program to supplement the state’s existing veteran
employment programs.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to codify the California
Military Department’s Work for Warriors program and establish
an interagency relationship between the program and the
Employment Development Department to better serve California’s
veterans as they transition from military to civilian life.

SEC. 2.  

Section 980.7 is added to the Military and Veterans
Code, to read:

980.7.  

(a)  begin delete (1) end delete begin delete   end delete begin delete The Adjutant General end delete begin insert The California Military
Department end insert may establish a Work for Warriors program to begin delete serve end delete
begin insert provide direct placement employment services to end insert unemployed and
underemployed service members, veterans, begin delete and military families
in California. end delete begin insert California Military Department Youth program
graduates, military families in California, and other related
populations. end insert

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(2) The program shall provide direct-placement job services to
all of the following:

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(A) The California Military Department.

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(B) The Army.

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(C) The Navy.

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(D) The Air Force.

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(E) The Marine Corps.

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(F) The Coast Guard Reserve.

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(G) Veterans recently separated from active duty.

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(H) Military spouses.

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(I) Graduates of California National Guard Youth Programs.

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(J) Dependents of veterans.

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(3)

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begin insert (b) end insert  The begin delete Adjutant General end delete begin insert department end insert may accept federal funding
to supplement the Work for Warriors program. begin delete The Adjutant
General may appoint a director and other service members and
employees, permanent or temporary, to operate the program. end delete

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(b) (1) The Adjutant General may enter into a memorandum
of agreement with other state agencies, including, but not limited
to, the Employment Development Department, to operate the Work
for Warriors Program.

(2) The Employment Development Department may enter into
an interagency partnership with the Adjutant General for purposes
of the Work for Warriors program.

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(c) If the department establishes a Work for Warriors program,
the department shall adopt such regulations, rules, and guidelines
as are necessary to implement the program.

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