BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 930 (Irwin) - Work for Warriors program.
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|Version: April 16, 2015 |Policy Vote: V.A. 5 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 17, 2015 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: This bill codifies the authorization for the
California Military Department (Department) to establish a Work
for Warriors (WFW) program, to provide direct placement job
services to unemployed and underemployed service members,
veterans, graduates of state military youth programs, military
families, and other related populations in California.
Fiscal
Impact:
Cost Pressure: If the program is to be continued, the
Department indicates that it would need an ongoing
appropriation of about $670,000 to fund five positions that
currently support the program on temporary grant funds.
(General Fund)
Potential, unknown federal funds if grants become available
and the Department is successful in a future application.
AB 930 (Irwin) Page 1 of
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Background:1) Existing law establishes the Department, which shall include
the Office of the Adjutant General, the California National
Guard, State Military Reserve, California Cadet Corps, and Naval
Militia, and authorizes a full-time state active duty force.
The program was established in 2012 with a grant and an
interagency agreement from the Speaker of the Assembly. The WFW
program provides direct-placement employment services to
California's veterans, military spouses, and dependents. The
Assembly has funded the state portion at approximately $600,000
for three years. The Department has received two $1 million
federal grants which it has used to expand the program's
presence in Southern California.
Proposed Law:
This bill authorizes the Department to establish a WFW program
to provide direct placement employment services to specified
California military populations. This bill also authorizes the
Department to accept federal funding to supplement the program
and for the Employment Development Department to resource and
partner with the program. Finally, this bill requires the
Department to adopt regulations, rules, and guidelines as
necessary to implement the program.
Staff
Comments: This bill authorizes Department to establish the WFW
program, a program it has been operating since 2012 using
available grant funding. The Assembly and most recently, the
Employment Development Department, have provided funding to
support the operation of the program with five positions. This
funding is expected to expire after the 2015-16 fiscal year. In
addition, the Department has been able use federal funding to
expand this program but the funding is expected to expire this
September.
Though this program is permissive, codifying its authorization
creates a cost pressure to provide funding to support the
continuation of the program in the event grant funding can no
longer be secured. The Department indicates that if the program
is to continue in the out-years, it would need an appropriation
of about $670,000 and five positions to fund the basic program.
AB 930 (Irwin) Page 2 of
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If federal funds are no longer available, the Department will
likely scale back the program.
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