BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2061
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2061 (Waldron) - As Amended April 25, 2016
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|Policy |Public Safety |Vote:|7 - 0 |
|Committee: | | | |
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|-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
| |Jobs, Economic Development, | |9 - 0 |
| |and the Economy | | |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill establishes an additional Supervised Population
Workforce Training Grant (SPWTG) Program priority for
applications that include one or more employers who have
demonstrated interest in employing individuals in the supervised
population, including "earn and learn" opportunities, and intent
to hire. It also expands the areas of the final program
assessment to include whether the SPWTG Program provided
AB 2061
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training opportunities in areas related to work skills learned
while incarcerated, including, but not limited to, while working
with the Prison Industry Authority.
FISCAL EFFECT:
No cost to SPWTG.
COMMENTS:
1)Background/Purpose. In 2013, the SPWTG Program was established
to provide grant funds to innovative and targeted workforce
training programs for the formerly incarcerated, supervised
population, AB 2060 (V. Manuel Pérez) Chapter 383, Statutes of
2013. AB 2061 expands on that program by encouraging a closer
alignment between the trainers and the prospective businesses
who will ultimately hire the individuals.
According to the author, "Returning to responsible working
life after incarceration or drug/alcohol intervention is a
critical and often a difficult process. Finding employment for
rehabilitated persons is a major contribution to reducing
recidivism rates. Business and non-profits that hire former
convicts significantly help them, their families, and
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communities they will live in.
"In reality, it is difficult, if not daunting, for a
previously convicted person to attain employment due to lack
of training, social skills, bias or fear. AB 2061 will bridge
the gap in making it easier for a business or non-profit to
hire those rehabilitated persons, allowing them to learn much
needed job skills and experience in order to fully return to
life in society."
2)Support. According to Legal Services for Prisoners with
Children, "The purpose of these [SPWTG] grants is to provide a
path for formerly incarcerated people to find employment. By
giving preference to employers who hire formerly incarcerated
people, this bill asks these grant recipients to put their
money where their mouths are; to hire the people they are
training for employment."
Analysis Prepared by:Pedro Reyes / APPR. / (916)
319-2081