BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
Mark DeSaulnier, Chair
Date of Hearing: June 23, 2010 2009-2010 Regular
Session
Consultant: Alma Perez Fiscal:Yes
Urgency: No
Bill No: AB 1213
Author: Skinner
Version: As introduced February 27, 2009
SUBJECT
Employment of persons with disabilities: California Governor's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
KEY ISSUE
Should the Legislature require that the membership of the
California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities include an elected official in the field of
education?
PURPOSE
To add the Superintendent of Public Instruction as a member of
the California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities (CGCEPD).
ANALYSIS
Existing law contains various programs to assist persons with
disabilities to obtain employment. Under existing law, the
California Health and Human Services Agency and the Labor and
Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), using existing resources,
is required to create a sustainable, comprehensive strategy to
accomplish various goals aimed at bringing persons with
disabilities into employment.
Under existing law, the Governor was required to establish the
California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities (CGCEPD) within the Labor and Workforce Development
Agency. Existing law requires that the CGCEPD do the following:
Consult with and advise the LWDA and the
California Health and Human Services Agency on all
issues related to full inclusion in the workforce of
persons with disabilities;
Coordinate and provide leadership, as
necessary, with regard to efforts to increase
inclusion in the workforce of persons with
disabilities;
Provide support to the State Workforce
Investment Board (WIB) and the local one-stop center
in their efforts to achieve compliance specified
provisions of this bill relating to the establishment
of one-stop career centers;
Meet quarterly with the California Health
Incentive Improvement Project; as specified.
Report annually to the Legislature and the
Governor on the employment status of Californian's
with disabilities; and,
Make grants available to counties and local
workforce investment boards when funds are available.
Existing law requires the Governor to authorize the secretary of
the LWDA, in collaboration with the secretary of the California
Health and Human Services Agency, to make available the
expertise of state employees and programs to support the
employment-related needs of individuals with disabilities.
Existing law requires that the membership of the CGCEPD consist
of representatives from the disabled community, a representative
from the California Workforce Investment Board, a business
representative, and among others, the Directors of various state
agencies including the Employment Development Department (EDD)
and the State Department of Health Services. Using existing
funding, the CGCEPD receives primary administrative and staff
support from EDD.
This Bill would add the Superintendent of Public Instruction as
a member of the California Governor's Committee on Employment of
Hearing Date: June 23, 2010 AB 1213
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 2
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
People with Disabilities (CGCEPD). In addition, this bill makes
several findings and declaration pertaining to programs for the
disabled community.
COMMENTS
1. Need for this bill?
The California Governor's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities, staffed by the Employment Development
Department (EDD) under LWDA, is tasked with bringing together
agencies and experts to design all components of the
sustainable comprehensive strategy related to full inclusion
of people with disabilities in the workforce. The Obama
Administration has identified a working plan to empower people
with disabilities. Under the plan the first step is to
provide educational opportunities to people with disabilities
through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA). With the passing of the federal American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), IDEA was granted close to $12
billion dollars ($11.903) in order to provide adequate funding
to schools for the implementation of the Act. In California,
about $1.5 billion of the ARRA funding has gone toward
elementary and secondary schools with large populations of
disadvantaged students (Title 1 schools and others with IDEA
programs). This bill would broaden the membership of the
CGCEPD to include the Superintendent of Public Instruction in
order to help make sure that educational programs remain a
priority when planning workforce development for youth and
adults with disabilities.
2. Proponent Arguments :
According to the author of the measure, historically, youth
with disabilities have the highest unemployment rates, the
lowest participation in post secondary training and education
programs, and the highest likelihood of remaining dependent on
public assistance programs following high school. The author
argues that when the comprehensive "Workforce Inclusion Act"
(AB 925 Aroner, 2002) was enacted, there was no involvement of
individuals responsible for the educational programs for young
Californians with disabilities (e.g. Special Education,
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Consultant: Alma Perez Page 3
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
Workability I & II, transition programs) which are under the
jurisdiction of a separate constitutional officer, the
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The author argues that while the Governor's Committee
currently has an Education and Employment Subcommittee
composed of educational representatives from across the state,
their efforts are not aligned with ongoing projects headed by
the Department of Education. Further, the author argues that
the Education and Employment Subcommittee tends to focus more
on Community College resources for people with disabilities
rather than K-12 disabled youth who are transitioning into the
workforce.
According to proponents, now more than ever California
requires adequate coordination between various agencies and
stakeholders to ensure that these funds serve youth and adults
with disabilities. The author believes that this bill would
ensure that educational programs remain a priority when
planning workforce development for youth and adults with
disabilities, better policy development, interagency
coordination and smoother transition of youth from school to
the workforce.
3. Opponent Arguments :
None received to date.
4. Prior Legislation :
AB 925 (Aroner) of 2002: Chapter 1088, Statutes of 2002
AB 925 revised and expanded programs for working persons with
disabilities. Among other things, AB 925 renamed and
established, within the LWDA, the California Governor's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (CGCEPD)
which required the Secretary of the Health and Human Services
Agency and the LWDA to create a sustainable, comprehensive
strategy to bring adults with disabilities into gainful
employment at a rate that is as close as possible to that of
the general population.
Hearing Date: June 23, 2010 AB 1213
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 4
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
SUPPORT
World Institute on Disability (Sponsor)
OPPOSITION
None received to date.
Hearing Date: June 23, 2010 AB 1213
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 5
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations