BILL NUMBER: AB 3 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member V. Manuel Perez
( Coauthors: Assembly Members
Fuentes and Galgiani )
DECEMBER 1, 2008
An act to add Section 399.25 to the Public Utilities
Code, relating to energy. An act to add Section
14013.5 to the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to workforce
development.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 3, as amended, V. Manuel Perez. Energy: renewable
energy workforce readiness program. Workforce
development: Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Initiative.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission is vested with
regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical
corporations. The Public Utilities Act imposes various duties and
responsibilities on the commission with respect to the purchase of
electricity by electrical corporations and requires the commission to
review and adopt a procurement plan and a renewable energy
procurement plan for each electrical corporation pursuant to the
California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program. The program
requires that a retail seller of electricity, including electrical
corporations, purchase a specified minimum percentage of electricity
generated by eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, in any
given year as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to
retail end-use customers each calendar year (renewables portfolio
standard).
Existing law, the California Workforce Investment Act,
establishes the California Workforce Investment Board,
which is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the
development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's
workforce investment system, and prescribes the functions and duties
of the board with regard to the implementation and administration of
workforce training and development programs.
This bill would require the commission
board , by January 1, 2011, to establish a Renewable Energy
Workforce Readiness Program Initiative
to ensure green collar career placement and advancement opportunities
within California's renewable energy manufacturing, construction,
installation, maintenance, and operation sectors that is targeted
towards specified populations. The program
initiative would award training grants, on a competitive basis,
to implement and operate renewable energy worker training and
education programs in the state. The commission
board would be required to submit to the Legislature, by
January 1, 2012, a report on the implementation of the
program initiative . The bill would require the
commission board to implement the
program initiative , upon appropriation
by the Legislature, using moneys from an unspecified fund.
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) California is fortunate to have some of the finest solar,
wind, and geothermal resources in the world, giving California the
opportunity to lead the United States in the development of renewable
energy technologies and the creation of green collar jobs.
(2) A 2006 analysis performed by the Renewable Energy Policy
Project looked at the employment gains throughout the United States
and found that, of all the 50 states, California has the greatest
potential to generate new renewable energy manufacturing activity.
(3) The Governor issued Executive Order S-14-08, which
increased the state's renewable portfolio standard to 33 percent by
2020, positioning and positioned
California's economy, technology centers, financial institutions,
businesses, workers, and consumers to benefit from the state's
renewable energy efforts.
(4) California's investment in the production of renewable energy
and associated infrastructure could be targeted to strengthen sectors
and regions of the state economy suffering from high unemployment
rates and poverty.
(5) Educational institutions, in collaboration with labor and
community-based organizations, play a significant role in the
progress of renewable energy curriculum and career job placement
within emerging renewable energy industries.
(6) California's 80th Assembly District is
Imperial and Riverside Counties are recognized as California's
renewable energy zone with the most potential for renewable energy
development and also possesses one of the highest unemployment rates
in the state.
(7) Educational institutions in the 80th Assembly
District Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino
Counties , such as Imperial Valley College, College of
the Desert, Palo Verde Community College, University of California at
Riverside, and California State San Bernardino are seeking to
establish collaborations with local labor and renewable energy
organizations but lack infrastructure, technical assistance, and
resources.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish the
"California Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Program" in order
for educational entities, labor organizations, local governments, and
community-based organizations to work collectively to prepare
California's youth, military veterans, and workers for the economy of
the future.
SEC. 2. Section 14013.5 is added to the
Unemployment Insurance Code , to read:
14013.5. (a) In furtherance of the requirements of this division,
no later than January 1, 2011, the board, in consultation with other
appropriate state agencies, shall establish a Renewable Energy
Workforce Readiness Initiative to ensure green collar career
placement and advancement opportunities within California's renewable
energy manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, and
operation sectors. The initiative shall be targeted at all of the
following populations:
(1) Low-income and disadvantaged populations.
(2) At-risk youth.
(3) Formerly incarcerated nonviolent offenders.
(4) Displaced and incumbent workers in transition.
(5) Veterans of past or present military service.
(b) The Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Initiative shall
award workforce training grants, on a competitive basis, to
applicants that can identify and involve target worker populations
and demonstrate the ability to implement and operate renewable energy
worker training and education programs in California. Eligible
applicants include any of the following entities:
(1) Nonprofit organizations.
(2) Local governments.
(3) State-approved apprenticeship programs.
(4) Community colleges.
(5) Postsecondary educational institutions.
(6) Local workforce training partnerships and collaboratives.
(7) Regional occupational programs (ROP).
(c) In evaluating an application for a grant, the board shall
assign higher priority to an application that satisfies one or more
of the following criteria:
(1) Serves individuals in families with incomes less than 250
percent of the federal poverty level.
(2) Includes collaboration with community-based nonprofit
organizations, labor organizations, apprenticeship programs that are
approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, in the
Department of Industrial Relations, and educational institutions with
expertise in serving low-income adults or youth.
(3) Links adult remedial education with occupational skills
training.
(4) Ensures that supportive services are integrated with education
and training, and delivered by organizations with direct access to
and experience with targeted populations.
(5) Involves employers and labor organizations, recognized by the
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), in the determination of
relevant skills and competencies, ensuring that the certificates or
credentials that result from the training are recognized by employers
and labor organizations.
(6) Leverages additional public and private resources to fund
readiness programs, including cash or in-kind matches from
participating employers, nonprofits, or labor organizations
recognized by the NLRB.
(d) The board shall collect and analyze labor market data, track
workforce trends, document academic and occupational competencies,
identify future skill needs, promote and support local workforce
training initiatives, and provide technical assistance and capacity
building to energy partnerships and apprenticeship training programs
that are approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, in the
Department of Industrial Relations, related to renewable energy and
workforce development in California.
(e) No later than January 1, 2012, the board shall report to the
Legislature on the implementation of this section. The report shall
include a description of the entities receiving funding, the
activities carried out by these entities, and an assessment of the
results achieved by the program.
(f) The board shall implement this section using moneys,
appropriated by the Legislature, from the fund established pursuant
to Section ____.
SEC. 2. Section 399.25 is added to the Public
Utilities Code, to read:
399.25. (a) In furtherance of the requirements of this article,
no later than January 1, 2011, the commission, in consultation with
other appropriate state agencies, shall establish a Renewable Energy
Workforce Readiness Program to ensure green collar career placement
and advancement opportunities within California's renewable energy
manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, and operation
sectors. The program shall be targeted at all of the following
populations:
(1) Low-income and disadvantaged populations.
(2) At-risk youth.
(3) Formerly incarcerated nonviolent offenders.
(4) Displaced and incumbent workers in transition.
(5) Veterans of past or present military service.
(b) The Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Program shall award
workforce training grants, on a competitive basis, to applicants that
can identify and involve target worker populations and demonstrate
the ability to implement and operate renewable energy worker training
and education programs in California. Eligible applicants include
any of the following entities:
(1) Nonprofit organizations.
(2) Local governments.
(3) Labor organizations.
(4) Community colleges.
(5) Postsecondary educational institutions.
(6) Local workforce training partnerships and collaboratives.
(c) In evaluating an application for a grant, the commission shall
assign higher priority to an application that satisfies one or more
of the following criteria:
(1) Serves individuals in families with incomes less than 250
percent of the federal poverty level.
(2) Includes collaboration with community-based nonprofit
organizations, labor organizations, and educational institutions with
expertise in serving low-income adults or youth.
(3) Links adult remedial education with occupational skills
training.
(4) Ensures that supportive services are integrated with education
and training, and delivered by organizations with direct access to
and experience with targeted populations.
(5) Involves employers and labor organizations in the
determination of relevant skills and competencies, ensuring that the
certificates or credentials that result from the training are
recognized by employers and labor organizations.
(6) Leverages additional public and private resources to fund
readiness programs, including cash or in-kind matches from
participating employers, nonprofits, or labor organizations.
(d) The commission shall collect and analyze labor market data,
track workforce trends, document academic and occupational
competencies, identify future skill needs, promote and support local
workforce training initiatives, and provide technical assistance and
capacity building to energy partnerships and apprenticeship training
programs, related to renewable energy and workforce development in
California.
(e) No later than January 1, 2012, the commission shall report to
the Legislature on the implementation of this section. The report
shall include a description of the entities receiving funding, the
activities carried out by these entities, and an assessment of the
results achieved by the program.
(f) The commission shall implement this section using moneys,
appropriated by the Legislature, from the fund established pursuant
to Section ____.