BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1227
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Date of Hearing: June 22, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Roger Hernández, Chair
SB
1227 (Lara) - As Amended June 14, 2016
SENATE VOTE: 39-0
SUBJECT: California Conservation Corps (CCC)
SUMMARY:
1)Requires the CCC to collaborate with the Department of Veteran
Affairs (CalVet) and the Employment Development Department
(EDD) to assist any corpsmember who is a veteran in obtaining
employment after participating in the corps.
2)States that collaboration efforts by the CalVet shall include,
but not be limited to, veteran's supportive services and
efforts by EDD shall include, but not be limited to, workforce
services.
EXISTING LAW: Requires the CCC, in conjunction with EDD, to
place an emphasis on developing and executing plans to assist
corpsmembers in obtaining employment following their
participation in the corps.
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FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, CalVet estimates the need for one ongoing position
and about $100,000 General Fund to implement the collaboration
required by this bill. Minor and absorbable costs to the CCC
and EDD, when individuals complete their work with the corps,
EDD provides them with services that help them obtain other
employment.
COMMENTS: CCC is a work development program specifically for
men and women between the ages of 18 to 25 (up to 29 for
veterans), offering work in environmental conservation, fire
protection, land maintenance, and emergency response to natural
disasters. To date approximately 120,000 individuals have
participated in the program. Under current law, the CCC in
conjunction with EDD, develops and executes plans to assist
corpsmembers in gaining employment following their participation
in the program. Additionally, the CCC has operated a number of
veterans programs since 2011 designed to provide military
veterans, who are corpsmembers, between 18-29 years of age with
training and experience to transition to jobs. For eligible
veterans, participating in CCC programs is one method to return
to the civilian workforce. According to 2011 - 2016 data from
the corps, 554 veterans participated in corps programs for
veterans of which about 57 percent either found employment after
completion or enrolled in school or returned to the military.
Under this bill, the CCC will be well positioned to expand its
collaboration efforts with CalVet and EDD to address gaps in
transitional employment services that may not be fully addressed
currently
According to a 2013 report by the California Research Bureau,
California has the largest veteran's population of any state,
nearly two million and our state's young veterans have higher
unemployment rates. Male veterans between the ages of 18-24
have a 4 percent higher unemployment rate than their civilian
peers and female veterans under the age of 34 have a 3.3 percent
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higher unemployment rate.
Within EDD's workforce services system, the Veterans Program
assists veterans and their eligible spouses to maximize their
employment and training opportunities. Veterans are entitled to
receive priority of the many resources designed to help in their
search for employment.
The EDD veterans' service representatives specialize in
assisting veterans in their efforts to return to work and are
located in many local EDD offices. Services provided include a
veteran 24-hour priority hold on all job listings, customized
job search assistance, job fairs, employer recruitments, and
other events and resources to help translate military skills
into civilian careers.
Arguments in Support
The author states that while transition services for
corpsmembers currently exist, existing law provides no specific
direction to the CCC on employment assistance for veterans, and
he notes that veterans may face unique transition needs due to
the differences between civilian workplace culture and the
military or multiple combat deployments. The author states that
the Department of Veterans Affairs' experience in helping
veterans makes them best suited to assist the existing efforts
of the CCC and EDD in finding work placement for veterans.
Additional supporters contend this bill is important to ensuring
young veterans working towards transitioning to civilian life
have access to critical support services.
No known opposition on file
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Staff Comment
This bill is double-referred to Veterans Affairs Committee upon
passage out of this Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
American G.I. Forum of California
AMVETS-Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
California Association of Local Conservation Corps
Conservation Corps of Long Beach
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Honorable Val Lerch, former Vice Mayor, City of Long Beach
Military Officers Association of America, California Council of
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Chapters
Numerous individuals
Paramount American Legion Post #134
VFW-Department of California
Vietnam Veterans of America-California State Council
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Lorie Alvarez / L. & E. / (916)
319-2091