BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2143
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2143 (Gilmore)
As Amended June 1, 2010
Majority vote
VETERANS AFFAIRS 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Cook, Salas, Block, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Conway, Ammiano, |
| |Knight, Gilmore, Lieu, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Yamada | |Calderon, Coto, Davis, |
| | | |Monning, Ruskin, Harkey, |
| | | |Miller, Nielsen, Norby, |
| | | |Skinner, Solorio, |
| | | |Torlakson, Torrico |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Employment Development
Department (EDD) in coordination with the California Department
of Veteran Affairs (CDVA) to conduct a study and report to the
Legislature on or before March 1, 2011. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Specifies that the report shall take into account how EDD's
veteran employment and job training programs are currently
structured.
2)Provides that the report shall include suggested options for a
governance and management model to increase program
integration and coordination, improve service delivery
efficiency and enhance program performance.
3)The report shall include:
a) Provide a recommended set of goals and objectives, in
relation to increasing employment and training
opportunities for veterans, and appropriate performance
standards that may be established to evaluate the
effectiveness and accountability of veteran employment and
job training programs administered by, or funded through
state agencies and departments;
b) Provide a description of the extent to which veterans
are integrated in California's Strategic Plan under the
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federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and the
Wagner-Peyser Act;
c) Provide information regarding how federal Veteran
Employment and Assistance Program and WIA grants are
integrated and coordinated to support veteran employment
and job training programs and how these grants could more
significantly contribute to the effectiveness of the
state's veteran employment and job training programs;
d) Provide the identification of federal and state funding
for veteran employment and job training programs,
including, but not limited to, funding from the federal
Jobs for Veterans Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the WIA;
statutory or regulatory restrictions, if any, which prevent
the integration and coordination of the programs; and
recommendations regarding securing or leveraging additional
government and nongovernment funding sources;
e) Provide the status of any federal waivers necessary to
increase the integration and coordination of veteran
employment and job training programs;
f) Provide a description of other integrated and
coordinated state veteran employment and job training
delivery models that represent best practices and whether
those models could be employed by this state to improve the
delivery of veteran employment and job training services;
g) Provide recommendations on how a state integrated and
coordinated veteran employment and job training program
could improve the percentage of California veterans
qualifying for unemployment insurance and federal veteran
compensation and pension benefits to which veterans are
entitled; and,
h) Provide the type of training necessary for state and
local personnel to better support the operation of veteran
employment and job training programs and delivery of
services.
4)Requires EDD to consult with the Labor and Workforce
Development Agency, the California Research Bureau, other
state, local agencies and departments that administer or offer
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veteran employment and job training programs or related
programs and services for veterans.
5)Requires sunset of supporting requirements on March 1, 2015.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides, pursuant to WIA, 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.
2)Establishes the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB)
for the purpose of assisting the state in meeting the
requirements of the federal 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 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.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Appropriations Committee, minor
one-time costs (less than $50,000) to EDD for the report.
COMMENT: EDD is responsible, in coordination with CWIB, for
administering a federal Department of Labor (DOL) - Veterans
Employment Training (DOL-VET) grant. DOL-VETS grant moneys are
used along with the WIA and the Wagner-Peyser Act funds to serve
California veterans workforce development needs. In delivering
its veteran focused programs, EDD partners with local workforce
investment boards and other public and private service entities
Currently there are nine core workforce related programs that
can assist newly discharged and unemployed veterans. Although
specialized, the veteran service programs should be considered
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supplemental to the workforce programs.
Currently, California receives $18 million dollars annually from
the United State Department of Labor (USDOL) to pay for
approximately 180 workforce training staff who are exclusively
dedicated to serving the needs of veterans. The purpose of AB
2143 is to ensure that money designated to assist veterans is
best utilized and that veterans have the opportunity to develop
the competitive workforce skills required to obtain good paying
jobs.
Successfully serving the employment development needs of
veterans is very challenging at any time, but especially during
the worst economy since the Great Depression. Economists
generally agree that economic recovery in California will be
slow and double-digit unemployment is expected to continue
throughout 2010 and, likely, 2011.
By advancing educational and vocational training opportunities,
veterans will be better prepared for success when the economy
recovers and will have had their barriers to employment lowered.
Veterans face multiple barriers to employment, some related to
workforce and others related to experiences during their term of
service. This combination of challenges demands a higher level
of integration than the current system provides.
While there are multiple funding sources, blending and
coordinating activities within the workforce delivery system can
be challenging and sometimes run afoul of federal and state laws
and regulations. The state's overall funding plan for veteran
workforce development programs is based on a one-time
redirection of funds and/or special projects. It is not clear
how the focus of special projects originates and what particular
workforce problem is being addressed.
There is a need to have a map as to how public moneys are going
to be expended, timelines, and expected outcomes. There
currently appears to be duplication of certain services and a
lack of clarity about distribution of service providers. An
evaluation of the existing programs is needed to determine
effectiveness and whether there is a duplication of services.
Analysis Prepared by : Eric Worthen / V. A. / (916) 319-3550
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