BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1567
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Date of Hearing: April 30, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
William W. Monning, Chair
AB 1567 (Veterans Affairs Committee) - As Introduced: March
16, 2009
SUBJECT : Employment Training Panel: 3-year plan: training
programs: veterans.
SUMMARY : Requires the Employment Training Panel's (ETP) 3-year
plan to include employment training goals, objectives, and
strategies that may be implemented supporting targeted
populations in need of training, including military veterans.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides for the establishment of employment training programs
and specifies which individuals qualify as "eligible
participants" of the training programs.
2)Establishes the Employment Training Panel (ETP) in the
Employment Development and requires the Governor to appoint
the executive director and two assistant directors of ETP
specifying that at least one assistant director have
experience serving the needs of small business.
3)Provides that ETP is governed by eight panel members. Seven
are appointed by the Governor and the leadership of the
Legislature and have backgrounds in business management and
employee relations, as specified. The Secretary of Business,
Transportation and Housing, or his/her designee, shall serve
as an ex officio, voting member.
4)Specifies the duties of ETP to include the duty to make
contracts for training in job-related vocational skills, as
specified and permits the ETP, subject to certain
requirements, to delegate its authority to approve contracts
for new hire training to any entity, as specified, for
purposes of serving the needs of small businesses.
5)Requires the ETP, among other things, to establish a 3-year
plan, as specified, that must be updated annually to establish
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minimum standards for the consideration of proposals,
including the identification of employers and to develop a
process by which local workforce investment boards may apply
for marketing resources for the purpose of identifying local
employers that have training needs reflecting the priorities
of the panel. Authorizes the ETP to delegate its authority to
approve contracts for training to local workforce investment
boards, as provided.
6)Requires the ETP to allocate its annual funds for the training
programs designed for individuals who are currently working
and receiving specified benefits, as provided.
7)Authorizes the ETP to utilize funds in the Employment Training
Fund (ETF) for, among other expenditures, the purpose of
funding up to five licensed nurse training programs to train
individuals who are currently working as nurse assistants or
caregivers in a health facility, as defined.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the author's office a skilled workforce
is key to a company's ability to remain competitive. Employers
must be able to effectively train workers and to maintain a
skilled workforce capable of responding to changing business and
industry needs. While the need for workforce training is
critical, businesses generally reserve training dollars for
training in highly technical and professional occupations -
limiting investment in training for frontline workers who
actually provide goods and deliver services. ETP helps to fill
this gap by funding training that targets frontline workers.
The ETP is a business and labor supported state agency that
assists employers in strengthening their competitive edge by
providing funds to off-set the costs of job skills training
necessary to maintain high-performance workplaces and provides
up to $120 million in job training funds annually to employers
throughout California. ETP was founded in 1983 and has invested
over a billion dollars to train California workers since its
inception.
According to the Veteran Affairs Committee analysis, in recent
years, ETP has faced significant reductions in its funding. In
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-08, ETP's appropriation is almost 30
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percent below ETP's historical funding level. ETP has also
experienced a 27 percent reduction in staff in the past few
years. Thus, ETP's biggest challenge is to determine how to
best utilize its finite funds and limited staff resources to
carry out its mission.
The Strategic Plan outlines ETP's strategies for accomplishing
its mission in the next fiscal year based on an assessment of
the state of the economy, priority industries, ETP's economic
development role, employer demand for training, key workforce
trends and training needs, and ETP's budget and available
resources. The Plan establishes funding priorities, and
corresponding goals and objectives to address ETP's challenges
and opportunities.
PRIOR LEGISLATION :
This bill is similar, but not identical, to AB 3066 (Committee
on Veterans Affairs) from last session. That measure was vetoed
by the Governor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Association of Veterans Services Agencies
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Lorie Erickson / L. & E. / (916)
319-2091