BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
Mark DeSaulnier, Chair
Date of Hearing: June 9, 2010 2009-2010 Regular
Session
Consultant: Alma Perez Fiscal:Yes
Urgency: No
Bill No: AB 1378
Author: V. Manuel Perez
Version: As amended January 4, 2010
SUBJECT
California Workforce Investment Board: veterans' workforce
program.
KEY ISSUE
Should the Legislature require that the California Workforce
Investment Board evaluate the effectiveness of expenditures for
veteran workforce development programs in the state?
PURPOSE
To establish the Veterans' Workforce Accountability Act for the
purpose of providing a method for the comprehensive and
transparent evaluation of veteran workforce development
programs.
ANALYSIS
Under existing law, the California Workforce Investment Board
(CWIB) is charged with developing a comprehensive workforce
development plan for the State as described in the Workforce
Training Act of 2008 and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
The CWIB is responsible for assisting the Governor in the
development, oversight, and continuous improvement of
California's workforce investment system. Existing law also
requires the CWIB to assist the Governor with promoting the
development of a well-educated and highly skilled workforce.
The CWIB is comprised of many facets of workforce development
including business, labor, public education, higher education,
economic development, youth activities, employment and training,
as well as the Legislature. Through its broad membership, the
State Board encourages collaboration among both State and local
public and private entities.
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 offers a comprehensive
range of workforce development moneys to finance activities
through statewide and local organizations. Eligible clients
include, but are not limited to, people looking for jobs, laid
off workers, youth, or persons just entering the job market,
veterans and persons with disabilities.
Existing law requires each local workforce investment board to
establish at least one full service one-stop career center in
the local workforce investment area. One-stop career centers
are required to include a specified group of job
search related entities and provide jobseekers with integrated
employment, education, training, and job search services.
Employers can also be provided with access to career and labor
market information, job placement assistance, and other such
services as the businesses in the community may require.
This Bill would establish the Veterans' Workforce Accountability
Act (Act) under the administration of the California Workforce
Investment Board (CWIB) for the purpose of providing a method
for the comprehensive and transparent evaluation of expenditures
for veteran workforce development programs in the state.
Specifically, this bill would:
1. Require that the CWIB conduct an annual assessment
evaluating the effectiveness of federally funded and state
administered programs that are designed to assist veterans
with the transition to civilian work, including the
approximately eighteen million dollar ($18,000,000) annual
grant that the state receives from the United States
Department of Labor for veteran workforce training.
2. Require that the CWIB, in consultation with the
Employment Training Panel, the Department of Veterans'
Affairs, and representatives of the Employment Development
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Department outline, implement, and administer the
provisions of the Act.
3. Require that the CWIB develop clear, comprehensive, and
transparent objectives, and appropriate criteria that can
be used to evaluate the effectiveness of existing workforce
training and job referral programs for veterans.
4. Require that the assessment contain ways to evaluate the
extent to which:
a. Moneys are being spent for outreach,
assessment of job skills, and interests and referrals
of veterans to specific training opportunities and
prospective jobs, in addition to evaluating the extent
to which information is provided to veterans regarding
ways to finance training opportunities that require
fees or the payment of tuition.
b. Funds are being used to assess job skills
acquired during military service that could be used or
adapted for civilian jobs by the veteran.
c. Funds are being used to provide workforce
training and job referral programs for eligible
veterans at one-stop career centers.
5. Require that the CWIB annually report to the Governor
and the appropriate legislative policy and budget
committees on the effectiveness of existing jobs skills
training and employment opportunities being provided to
transitioning veterans.
6. Provide that the requirements of this bill will only be
implemented to the extent that federal funds are made
available to the state for the specified purposes.
COMMENTS
1. Need for this bill?
According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
the total estimated national veteran population as of 2007 was
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Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
23,442,000. In California, there are roughly 2,078,000
veterans comprising 8.8 percent of the national population.
While most veterans are men, 8 percent of the veteran
population is women. Current law requires that the Employment
Development Department (EDD) research the needs of veteran's
throughout the state, develop a statewide plan for serving
veterans, and report to the Legislature each year on the
number of veterans receiving services, the average earnings
for veterans, among other things.
In California, the California Department of Veterans Affairs
is responsible for administering a number of special programs,
benefits and services for California veterans and their
families. Currently, California receives $18 million dollars
annually from the United States Department of Labor to pay for
approximately 180 workforce training staff, assigned within
EDD and dedicated to serving the needs of veterans. The
Governor has also recently announced the creation of
"Operation Welcome Home" for California veterans, aimed at
helping newly discharged veterans access the benefits and
services they need to successfully enter civilian workforce.
In addition, the state currently spends in excess of $500
million in a variety of job training programs that are
available for most veterans to access.
This bill would ensure that these and other moneys designated
to assisting veterans is effectively utilized for that purpose
and that veterans have the opportunity to develop the
competitive workforce skills needed to obtain good paying
jobs. The author believes that this assessment could provide
key information on how California could have more integrated
and successful approach to providing veteran services using
existing resources, including outreach, skill assessments,
training, and help with job placement.
2. Similar Efforts in Other States:
Other states have also begun to take steps to address the
quality of its services to veterans. In 2005, the state of
Texas enacted House Bill 2604, which reorganized all the
veteran focused programs under one entity and named it the
"Texas Veterans Commission." Under HB 2604, the Texas
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Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
Veterans Commission became the central administering entity
for all veteran related programs. According to the United
States Department of Labor, the hiring success rate for
veterans in Texas increased from 57% in 2006 to 85% in 2008.
3. Double Referral to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee:
If approved by the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations
Committee, this bill will go to the Senate Veterans Affairs
Committee, per Senate Rules.
4. Proponent Arguments :
According to the author, over the years, our nation has called
on our service men and women in the Armed Forces to protect
and serve our nation at home and abroad. The author argues
that upon their honorable completion of service and return
home, veterans face tremendous challenges transitioning back
into civilian life many times struggling to find jobs,
housing, health services, and other social services. In
addition, the author adds that in some cases, recovery from
physical and psychological injuries makes the transition into
civilian life more challenging.
According to proponents, California streets are the only home
for nearly 40,000 veterans, nearly thirty percent of the
state's homeless population and approximately 25% of the
nation's homeless veterans. In addition, proponents argue
that unemployment among veterans is higher than the general
population and especially sever among younger veterans. Even
worse, proponents argue, the governmental agencies charged
with providing transition assistance to returning veterans are
ill equipped to meet their needs.
According to proponents, California's federally funded,
veterans' employment assistance program shamefully ranks 48th
in the nation in placing veterans in jobs and 38th in
accessing federal benefits they've earned. The author argues
that although federal and state law provides for a variety of
workforce development programs, the needs of veterans seem to
be continually overlooked for overshadowed by other workforce
development priorities. In addition, the author argues that
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Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
considerable federal dollars were provided to California for
workforce development through the stimulus funding, however,
it is unclear how much of those moneys will end up serving
veterans. The author and proponents believe that this bill
will help ensure that the programs aimed at assisting veterans
in the workforce are effective by providing key information on
how California could have a more integrated and successful
approach to providing veterans services with existing
resources.
5. Opponent Arguments :
None received to date.
6. Prior/Related Legislation :
AB 1567 (Asm. Committee on Veterans Affairs) of 2009: Vetoed
by the Governor
This bill would have required that the Employment Training
Panel Plan include a statement detailing the employment
training goals, objectives, and strategies that may be
implemented to support target populations in need of
employment training, including military veterans.
SUPPORT
American Legion, Department of California
AMVETS, Department of California
California Association of Veteran Service Agencies
Vietnam Veterans of California, California State Council
OPPOSITION
None received to date.
Hearing Date: June 9, 2010 AB 1378
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 6
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations