BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
JEFF DENHAM, CHAIRMAN
Bill No: AB 1378
Author: V. Manuel Perez
Version: As proposed
Hearing Date: June 22, 2010
Fiscal: Yes
SUBJECT OF BILL
Veterans' Workforce Accountability Act.
PROPOSED LAW
1. Require the California Workforce Investment Board
to "conduct an annual assessment evaluating the
effectiveness of those programs that assist veterans
with the transition to civilian work, which are funded
with federal moneys to the state".
2. Requires the Workforce Investment Board to consult
with the Employment Training Panel (ETP) and the
California Department of Veterans' Affairs (CDVA) to
develop a clear plan for evaluating the effectiveness
of the aforementioned programs.
3. Requires the following to be assessed:
How much is expended for outreach;
Job skills and interests;
Referral of veterans to specific training
opportunities;
Referrals to job opportunities;
Information given on financing training
opportunities;
How much is spent to assess applying
military job skills to civilian purposes; and
The extent of money spent at one-stop
career centers.
1. Requires an annual report to the Governor and the
policy and budget committees of the legislature.
2. This bill only becomes operable if paid for by
federal funds.
EXISTING LAW AND BACKGROUND
1. The federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998
offers a range of workforce development money to
finance statewide and local organizations. Eligible
organizations have clients that include, people
looking for jobs, laid off workers, youth, or persons
just entering the job market, veterans and persons
with disabilities.
2. Existing law establishes the California Workforce
Investment Board (CWIB) for the purpose of assisting
the state in meeting the requirements of WIA, as well
as assisting the Governor in the development,
oversight, and continuous improvement of California's
workforce investment system.
3. Requires each local workforce investment board to
establish at least one full service one-stop career
center in its jurisdiction.
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.
4. The Employment Training Panel (ETP) was created in
1983. ETP is governed by an 8 member panel, of which
7 are appointed by the Governor and the Assembly and
Senate leadership. The last member is the Secretary
of Business, Transportation and Housing.
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The ETP had planned to award $2 million for the
veterans' pilot program; however, due to the state's
budget deficit, larger than anticipated amounts of
money were shifted to the CalWORKS Program.
5. The role of the California Workforce Investment
Board (CWIB) is to assist the Governor in designing a
statewide plan and establishing appropriate policy for
workforce development programs. WIA funding is
distributed to states based on a set formula which
includes specified economic and demographic data.
3. Unemployment for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has
risen 4% in the past year. The unemployment rate for
veterans nationwide is now 11.2% as compared to 8.8%
for non-veterans in the same age group. (Source: USA
Today, March 19, 2009)
4. This bill is a result of a joint oversight hearing
held by the Assembly Veterans' Committee and the
Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and
the Economy.
COMMENT
1. Legislative Counsel has advised that this bill is
in conflict with AB 2628 (Manuel Perez). However,
the author's office says AB 2628 has not moved from
its first committee and is dead.
2. Although California receives $26 million a year for
workforce development for veterans, California ranks
38th in job placement and retention.
According to the author's office, "AB 1378 would help
ensure that veterans obtain competitive workforce
skills for the new green economy and thus the
opportunity to obtain good paying jobs that are
sustainable."
3. Governor Schwarzenegger has launched through CDVA
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"Operation Welcome Home" to help reintegrate returning
veterans to civilian life.
4. Reintegration has been the number one priority for
this committee over the last year and a half including
two oversight hearings on the subject last year - one
on jobs and education and a second on health care and
treatment.
5. The author believes this bill is another tool to
accomplish the goal of reintegration that has been the
priority of the governor and this legislature.
6. Recent amendments as proposed include job placement
in the evaluations to be conducted in this bill.
PRIOR ACTIONS
Assembly Jobs 6-0
Assembly Veterans 8-0
Assembly Appropriations 17-0
Assembly Floor 67-0
Senate Labor 4-0
SUPPORT
American Legion, Department of CA
AMVETS, Department of CA
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
California State Commanders Veterans Council
California Association of Veterans Service Agencies (CAVSA)
OPPOSE
None received
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