BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2574
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Date of Hearing: April 20, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2574 (Chávez) - As Amended April 11, 2016
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|Policy |Labor and Employment |Vote:|7 - 0 |
|Committee: | | | |
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| | Veterans Affairs | |9 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires, by July 1, 2017, the Labor and Workforce
Development Agency (LWDA), in consultation with the Department
of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the State Board of Food and
Agriculture, to develop a New Veteran Farmer and Rancher
Outreach and Assistance Plan to disseminate information about
state and federal veteran and agricultural education, training,
and other assistance programs. Specifically, this bill:
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1)Authorizes LWDA, pursuant to the plan, to disseminate
information to veterans electronically and through America's
Job Center of California (AJCC) locations or through other
already available means.
2)Authorizes other public or private sector resources to be
disseminated as part of the plan if these resources:
a) Offer guaranteed loans or other support to new veteran
farmers or ranchers, including, but not limited to, loans
for farm ownership through the Cal-Vet loan program, as
well as operating loans, loans for land acquisition and
improvement and other needs
b) Support eligible traditional and nontraditional
organizations serving veterans, or veteran applicants
applying and qualifying for federal funding authorized by
the federal Agricultural Act of 2014.
FISCAL EFFECT:
General Fund administrative costs in the range of $80,000 to
$100,000 to develop a plan and disseminate information about
veteran farmer and rancher education, training and assistance
programs. According to LWDA, workload would likely primarily
fall on the Employment Development Department (EDD) since they
oversee AJCCs.
COMMENT:
1)Purpose. The federal Agricultural Act of 2014 invests in
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programs and services that help existing farmers stay
prosperous and stay on their land. According to the author,
the lack of knowledge about federal funding and assistance to
help veterans become farmers and ranchers in our state has led
to the federal moneys from the Act to be under-utilized. This
bill seeks to encourage and support a new generation of
veteran farmers and ranchers to utilize the federal Act
through outreach and assistance.
2)American Job Centers. America's Job Center of California
(formerly One-Stop Career Center's) was established by the
federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). AJCC's offer a
comprehensive range of workforce development activities
through statewide and local organizations. The Employment
Development Department (EDD) has primary responsibility over
the 250 AJCC sites in California.
3)Comments. Although EDD has access to veterans through the AJCC
network, it does not have expertise in the area of farmer
education, training, and assistance programs. Consultation
with agriculture and farm business development organizations
is critical to the plan's success. LWDA notes that it may be
more appropriate for the California Department of Food and
Agriculture to take the lead on plan development.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
AB 2574
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