BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1394
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1394 (Bass)
As Amended July 14, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |76-0 |(May 28, 2009) |SENATE: |26-13|(September 4, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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Original Committee Reference: L. & E.
SUMMARY : Sets forth specified additional duties of the Green
Collar Jobs Council (GCJC).
The Senate amendments :
1 Add the Department of Industrial Relations as a representative on
the GCJC.
2)Specify that the GCJC shall also perform the following duties:
a) Align workforce development activities with regional
economic recovery and growth strategies; and,
b) 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
3)Authorize the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB),
rather than the GCJC, to accept revenues, moneys, grants, goods
or services as authorized by the bill.
4)Require the CWIB to ensure the highest level of transparency and
accountability and make information available on the CWIB
Internet Web site.
5)Specify that all revenues received under these provisions shall
be deposited into a green collar jobs account established in the
State Treasury.
6)Specify that such revenue shall only be expended for the purpose
of awarding workforce training grants implementing the GCJC's
AB 1394
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strategic initiative.
7)Require grants to be awarded within 180 days of receipt of any
funding for that purpose.
8)Require a specified annual report to be completed on or before
April 1, 2010.
9)Make other technical changes.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill:
1 Authorized the GCJC to accept any revenues, moneys, grants,
goods, or services from federal and state public entities, local
philanthropic organizations, and other sources, to be used for
purposes relating to the administration and implementation of a
strategic initiative the GCJC is required to develop.
2)Required the GCJC to confer with the appropriate state and local
agencies to coordinate the award of grant funds and green
workforce training funds received by the state under the federal
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
3)Required the GCJC to make a finding that a proposed program or
expenditure to be funded is consistent with the strategic
initiative prior to authorizing the expenditure of any funds made
available to the state pursuant to the federal American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,
this bill will result in minor and absorbable costs.
COMMENTS : This bill is a follow-up to AB 3018 (Nunez) from last
session, which established the Green Collar Jobs Council (GCJC)
within the CWIB. AB 3018 specified that the GCJC is comprised of
the appropriate representatives from the CWIB's existing
membership, including the K-12 representative, the California
Community Colleges representative, the Business, Transportation and
Housing Agency representative, the Employment Development
Department representative, and other appropriate members.
AB 3018 also required the GCJC to develop a strategic initiative to
identify and develop the framework, funding, strategies, programs,
policies, partnerships, and opportunities necessary to address the
growing need for a highly skilled and well-trained workforce to
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meet the needs of California's emerging green economy.
Since the enactment of AB 3018, the GCJC has met several times and
is working to develop the strategic initiative discussed above.
Following the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009, the GCJC has been focusing some of its attention on
opportunities for green collar jobs made possible as a result of
that act.
According to the author's office:
"With California's unemployment rate at an all time high of
10.5%, California needs to develop short and long term goals
to put Californians back to work in jobs that provide a
livable wage. We have an opportunity to make an investment in
our existing workforce training infrastructure. 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. 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.
According to a recent report by Next 10, titled 'California
Green Innovation Index 2009,' since 2005 the green collar job
sector has continued to grow by 10% and business
establishments by 2%, while job growth in other sectors has
been only 1%. With the infusion of federal economic stimulus
funds California stands to create thousands of jobs in energy
efficiency building retrofits, green building, solar
installation and green technology. The time is now to develop
the much needed workforce training partnerships to better
serve California."
Analysis Prepared by : Ben Ebbink / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091 FN:
0001933