BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1394
Author: Bass (D)
Amended: 7/14/09 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE LABOR & INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMM : 5-1, 6/25/09
AYES: DeSaulnier, Wyland, Ducheny, Leno, Yee
NOES: Hollingsworth
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 8-3, 7/6/09
AYES: Kehoe, Corbett, Hancock, Leno, Price, Wolk, Wyland,
Yee
NOES: Cox, Runner, Walters
NO VOTE RECORDED: Denham, Oropeza
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-0, 5/28/09 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : California Workforce Investment Board: Green
Collar Jobs
Council
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill makes changes to provisions governing
the Green Collar Jobs Council that places additional
requirements on the council and creates a mechanism for the
receipt of funds from specified state and federal
resources.
CONTINUED
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ANALYSIS : Under existing federal law, the Green Jobs Act
of 2007 authorizes $125 million per year to create the
Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program, as
an amendment to the Workforce Investment Act, in order to
identify needed skills, develop training programs, and
train workers for jobs in a range of industries, including
energy efficient building, construction and retrofits,
renewable electric power, energy efficient vehicles,
biofuels, and manufacturing that produces sustainable
products and uses sustainable processes and materials. The
Act is administered by the United States Department of
Labor.
Under existing federal law, the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has been created to
jumpstart our economy by preserving and creating jobs and
promoting economic recovery. The ARRA aims to stabilize
State and local government budgets, in order to minimize
and avoid reductions in essential services and
counterproductive state and local tax increases. The ARRA
aims to revive the renewable energy industry by creating a
competitive training grant program for worker training and
placement in green jobs.
Under existing state 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 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.
Under existing state law, the Green Collar Jobs Act
established the Green Collar Jobs Council (GCJC) under the
purview of the CWIB. Existing law requires that the GCJC
perform certain functions and duties, including the
development of a strategic initiative, relating to the
training and development of a skilled workforce to meet the
needs of California's emerging green economy. As part of
developing the GCJC's strategic initiative, the Council
must identify and develop the framework, funding,
strategies, programs, policies, partnerships, and
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opportunities necessary to address the growing need for a
highly skilled and well-trained workforce to meet the needs
of California's emerging green economy.
This bill makes changes to provisions governing the Green
Collar Jobs Council that would, among other things, align
the GCJC's workforce development activities with regional
economic recovery and growth strategies. Specifically,
this bill:
1.Requires that the GCJC collaborate with community
colleges and other educational institutions, registered
apprenticeship programs, business and labor
organizations, community-based and philanthropic
organizations to align workforce development services
with strategies for regional economic development.
2.Authorizes the CWIB, with the highest level of
transparency and accountability by posting information on
their website, to accept any revenues, money, grants,
goods, or services from federal and state entities,
philanthropic organizations, and other sources, to be
used for the administration and implementation of the
GCJC's strategic initiative.
3.Requires the creation of a Green Collar Jobs account
within the State Treasury for the deposit of all revenues
received pursuant to these provisions.
4.Specifies that revenue received by the department
pursuant to these provisions, shall only be expended
after consultation with the CWIB and the GCJC for the
purpose of awarding training grants implementing the
strategic initiative.
5.Grants shall be awarded within 180 days of receipt of any
funding for that purpose.
6.Requires the GCJC to consult with the appropriate state
and local agencies to identify opportunities to
coordinate the award of grant and green workforce
training funds received by the state under the federal
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or any
funding sources.
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Comments
A report by the Pew Charitable Trust (The Clean Energy
Economy, June 2009), found that California has the largest
clean energy economy of the 50 states. According to the
report, jobs in this sector grew at a faster rate than
total jobs in the state between 1998 and 2007. In 2007
alone, the clean energy economy spurred the opening of
10,209 businesses and 125,390 jobs. In 2008, the
California Legislature passed, and the Governor signed into
law, the Green Collar Jobs Act (AB 3018, Nunez, Chapter
312, Statutes of 2008) which created the Green Collar Jobs
Council. The GCJC is required to perform specified tasks
to develop a comprehensive array of programs, strategies,
and resources to address California's growing need for a
highly skilled and well-trained green workforce.
Since the enactment of AB 3018, the GCJC has met several
times and is working to develop a strategic initiative to
meet its tasks. Following the enactment of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the GCJC began
focusing some of its attention on opportunities for green
collar jobs made possible as a result of that act. This
bill updates the responsibilities of the GCJC to address
opportunities created by the ARRA and would allow the CWIB
to accept revenues to be used for the administration and
implementation of the GCJC's strategic initiative.
The Green Jobs Act of 2007, authored by Representative
Hilda Solis (D-CA) and John Tierney (D-MA), authorized $125
million per year to create the Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Worker Training Program within the
Workforce Investment Act. The Green Jobs Act is an initial
pilot program to identify needed skills, develop training
programs, and train workers for jobs in a range of
industries, including energy efficient building and
construction, renewable electricity, energy efficient
vehicles, and more. The act targets a broad range of
populations for eligibility, but has a special focus on
creating "green pathways out of poverty" for young adults
with barriers to employment, displaced workers, and
veterans.
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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was
signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17,
2009. The Act will provide more than $150 billion to
low-income and vulnerable households, which the federal
government believes will spur increased economic activity
that will save and create more than one million jobs. An
aspect of the ARRA is focused on reviving the renewable
energy industry by providing capital over the next three
years to eventually double domestic renewable energy
capacity. Included in the ARRA, are funds appropriated for
a program of competitive training grants for worker
training and placement in green jobs and high growth and
emerging industry sectors, with emphasis on careers in
energy efficiency and renewable energy. The ARRA has
appropriated $750 million for this competitive grant
program and specifies that $500 million be used for
research, labor exchange and job training projects that
prepare workers for Green Jobs or careers in energy
efficiency and renewable energy
Prior Legislation
AB 3018 (Nunez) Chapter 312, Statutes of 2008, created the
California Green Collar Jobs Council to perform specified
tasks related to addressing the workforce needs that
accompany California's growing green economy.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11
2011-12 Fund
GCJC grants program $200 to $500
initially, future costs Special*
Participation depend on grant greenwork force
training funds being available
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/14/09)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
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Employees, AFL-CIO
California State Association of Counties
California Teachers Association
California Workforce Association
Calpine Corporation
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Proponents of the measure believe
that in the near future, the Green Collar Jobs Council will
be a valuable resource in coordinating and aligning the
multiple green workforce and training efforts underway in
California. Proponents argue that not only do green jobs
represent the future of California's economy, but these
efforts will create jobs which Californians are in need of.
According to the author, with California's unemployment
rate at an all time high of 11 percent, California needs to
develop short and long term goals to put Californians back
to work in jobs that provide a livable wage. According to
the author, under the federal American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009, California is receiving over $400
million in job training funds to be administered through
our existing workforce infrastructure. The author argues
that no time is greater than now to form partnerships with
state agencies, community colleges, community based
organizations, and labor apprenticeship programs to train a
highly skilled and well trained workforce to meet the needs
of California's growing green economy.
Proponents also argue that as career technical education
programs continue to decline in our schools, career
exploration and training opportunities must be offered and
expanded. This bill, proponents argue, provides another
avenue for meeting that goal by creating key linkages among
education, labor and the economy. In addition, proponents
of the bill support taking action and building partnerships
at the state and local levels to maximize funding from the
federal ARRA in order to provide additional training.
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ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield,
Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon,
DeVore, Emmerson, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes,
Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gilmore,
Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber,
Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Krekorian, Lieu, Logue,
Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Miller, Monning, Nava, Niello,
Nielsen, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino,
Price, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth,
Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres,
Torrico, Tran, Villines, Yamada, Bass
NO VOTE RECORDED: Duvall, Evans, Mendoza, Nestande
AGB:nl 7/14/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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