BILL NUMBER: AB 2437	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member V. Manuel Perez

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to add Section 71098 to the Education Code, relating to
community colleges, and making an appropriation therefor.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2437, as introduced, V. Manuel Perez. Community colleges: green
technology training: workforce development strategy.
   (1) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges
under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges. Existing law requires the board of governors to
appoint a chief executive officer, known as the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges.
   Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2013, the California
Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program.
Existing law requires the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges, as part of the program, to assist economic and
workforce regional development centers and consortia, including
middle and junior high schools or high schools and regional
occupational centers and programs, to improve linkages and
career-technical education pathways between high schools and
community colleges for the benefit of pupils and students in both
education systems and requires this assistance to include, among
other things, expansion of certificate programs in identified
economic development program strategic priority areas.
   This bill would require the Economic Development and Workforce
Preparation Division of the office of the chancellor, in cooperation
with the Workforce Investment Board, the California Employment
Training Panel, the California Economic Strategy Panel, and other
organizations, to prepare a strategy for the purpose of determining
how to expend federal economic stimulus moneys targeted for workforce
development. The bill would require the strategy to include an
assessment of workforce training needs and would require the strategy
to identify workforce development partners and resources. The bill
would require the chancellor to submit that strategy to the
Legislature.
   (2) Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to develop, implement,
and administer a program, titled the Public Interest Energy
Research, Development, and Demonstration Program, to include a full
range of research, development, and demonstration activities that are
not adequately provided for by competitive and regulated energy
markets. Existing law establishes the Public Interest Research,
Development, and Demonstration Fund in the State Treasury, and
provides that the money collected from electrical corporations to
support cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation activities,
and public interest research and development not adequately provided
by competitive and regulated markets, be deposited in the fund for
use by the Energy Commission for implementation and administration of
the program.
   This bill would appropriate $15,000,000 from the fund to the
California Community Colleges for the purpose of providing green
technology training through career technical and vocational programs.
The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to allocate to the
California Community Colleges up to $15,000,000 from specified
economic recovery funds received from the federal government in lieu
of the appropriation from the fund. The bill would require that an
amount equal to that allocation revert back to the fund if the Energy
Commission makes that allocation.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 71098 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   71098.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) The purpose of the California Community Colleges Economic and
Workforce Development Program is to advance the state's economic
growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and
services that contribute to workforce improvement, technology
deployment, and business development, consistent with the state's
regional economies. Under this program, the California Community
Colleges work with employers, advisory committees, and agency
partners to identify, on a region-by-region basis, workforce
education and training needs, including the needs of small
businesses.
   (2) The Career Technical Education Unit of the Economic
Development and Workforce Preparation Division of the Office of the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges focuses on program
coordination and advocacy, policy development, and coordination with
K-14 workforce preparation and career and technical education
systems. That unit is responsible for implementation of the federal
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 and the
Governor's Career Pathways Initiative, and for the development,
dissemination, and implementation of the California State Plan for
Vocational and Technical Education and the annual performance
reports.
   (3) The Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division of
the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
has a variety of responsibilities related to workforce and economic
development, including the implementation of a comprehensive plan for
vocational and technical education and the delivery of
industry-focused technical assistance activities pursuant to the
California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development
Program.
   (4) In 1996, economic development became a primary mission of the
California Community Colleges.
   (b) The Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division of
the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
shall prepare a strategy for the purpose of determining how to expend
federal economic stimulus funds targeted for workforce development.
The strategy shall include all of the following information:
   (1) An assessment of workforce training needs based on existing
job opportunities, the status of workforce skills in each of the
economic regions of the state, and regionally significant and
emerging industries, and shall include particular attention to jobs
in clean technology industries.
   (2) An identification of key public and private community,
economic, and workforce development partners.
   (3) An identification of existing state, regional, and local
public and private workforce development resources.
   (4) An identification of statutory and regulatory changes that
should be made in order to best utilize federal economic stimulus
funds targeted for workforce development.
   (5) An identification of new resources that should be made
available to accomplish the objectives of the workforce development
strategy.
   (6) A description of key tasks, timelines, outcomes, and
monitoring processes for purposes of developing the workforce
development strategy.
   (c) The strategy described in subdivision (b) shall build upon the
California State Plan for Vocational and Technical Education and
shall include priorities determined by the Workforce Investment
Board, the California Employment Training Panel, and the California
Economic Strategy Panel.
   (d) The strategy described in subdivision (b) shall be developed
in cooperation with the Workforce Investment Board, the California
Employment Training Panel, the California Economic Strategy Panel,
and appropriate business and labor organizations.
   (e) The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall
submit the strategy prepared pursuant to this section to the
appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature within
120 days of holding the first meeting to prepare the strategy.
  SEC. 2.  (a) The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) is
hereby appropriated from the Public Interest Research, Development,
and Demonstration Fund to the California Community Colleges to be
used for the purpose of providing green technology training programs
funded through the Economic Development and Workforce Preparation
Division and the Career Technical Division of the Office of the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
   (b) The Energy Commission may allocate to the California Community
Colleges, from the moneys received for energy-related projects and
training pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) or related federal acts, consistent
with applicable federal law, and in lieu of the moneys appropriated
pursuant to subdivision (a), an amount not exceeding fifteen million
dollars ($15,000,000) for the purposes of subdivision (a). If the
Energy Commission allocates money in lieu of the appropriation by
subdivision (a), the total amount of the moneys appropriated by
subdivision (a) shall be reduced by the amount so allocated and that
amount shall revert to the Public Interest Research, Development, and
Demonstration Fund.