BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 2437|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 2437
          Author:   V. Manuel Perez (D)
          Amended:  8/2/10 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE BUSINESS, PROF & ECON DEVELOP COMM  :  6-1, 6/28/10
          AYES:  Negrete McLeod, Calderon, Corbett, Correa, Florez,  
            Yee
          NOES:  Aanestad
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Wyland, Walters

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  7-4, 8/12/10
          AYES:  Kehoe, Alquist, Corbett, Leno, Price, Wolk, Yee
          NOES:  Ashburn, Emmerson, Walters, Wyland

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  74-0, 6/2/10 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    State government:  economic development

           SOURCE  :     California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO


           DIGEST  :    This bill establishes the California  
          Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2010, for the purpose  
          of supporting the retooling and expansion of California's  
          manufacturing facilities, supporting a vibrant logistics  
          network to retain and create jobs. 

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law:
          
          1. Under the California Industrial Development Financing  
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             Act (CIDF Act) authorizes cities, counties and  
             redevelopment agencies to establish industrial  
             development bonds, the proceeds of which may be used to  
             fund capital projects of private enterprise under terms  
             and conditions specified in the CIDF Act.

          2. Establishes the California Industrial Development  
             Financing Advisory Commission (Commission) to advise on  
             and approve specified activities relating to the  
             industrial development.

          3. Authorizes the Commission, upon request of two or more  
             authorities, to act as a pooling agent to issue bonds on  
             a joint or composite basis for companies which have  
             applied for financing to the participating authorities,  
             in order to share expenses and facilitate bond issuance.  
              Requires authorities to enter into written agreements  
             with the Commission specifying the projects which are to  
             be delegated to the Commission for financing.

          4. Authorizes the Commission to issue bonds as requested  
             and authorizes and gives the Commission all the powers  
             of an authority and specifies that the Commission is  
             allowed to enter into project agreements and take all  
             steps toward the sale, issuance, and security of bonds  
             in the same matter as other authorities. 

          This bill:

          1. Establishes the California Manufacturing Competitiveness  
             Act of 2010 (Act of 2010) to authorize the Commission to  
             make loans or lines of credit available to companies,  
             directly through a contract with a participating  
             financial institution, for the purposes of acquiring,  
             constructing, or rehabilitating facilities or portions  
             thereof, including, but not limited to, equipment and  
             furnishings, pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with  
             Section 91600 of the Government Code), all to the mutual  
             benefit of the people of the state and to protect their  
             health, welfare, and safety.

          2. Defines various terms relative to the CIDF Act.

          3. Authorizes the Commission to establish the California  

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             Manufacturing Competitiveness Loan and Loan Guarantee  
             Program (Program) for the purposes of attracting,  
             retaining, and expanding large manufacturing facilities  
             and other companies in the state, and requires the  
             Commission to establish guidelines for the  
             implementation of the Program, as specified.  

          4. Requires the Commission to develop the Program to meet  
             specified objectives.

          5. Requires the Commission adopt procedures and criteria to  
             evaluate and approve applicants for loans, loan  
             guarantees, or lines of credit and to evaluate and  
             certify the participating financial institutions that  
             may make loans, loan guarantees, or extend lines of  
             credit on its behalf or directly to companies pursuant  
             to the commission's program.  The evaluation and  
             approval of applicants shall include the assessment of  
             the applicant's creditworthiness and the valuation of  
             guarantees and collateral to be posted by the applicant  
             to secure payment of principal and interest on the loan,  
             line of credit, or extension of a loan guarantee.  The  
             evaluation and certification of  participating financial  
             institutions shall include an assessment of the  
             standards for due diligence for each loan, loan  
             guarantee, or line of credit made on behalf of the  
             commission or made directly to a company pursuant to the  
             commission's program.  Among other requirements, the  
             loan, loan guarantee, and line of credit shall be  
             subject to all of the following provisions:

             A.   Requires applicants to demonstrate that they are in  
               compliance with applicable federal, state, and local  
               laws and regulations, or that the project for which  
               they are requesting funding will bring them into  
               compliance.

             B.   Requires outstanding loans to be paid in full six  
               months prior to a relocation of a facility outside of  
               California.  If the loan or loan guarantee included a  
               subsidized amount, then that amount must also be  
               repaid subject a sliding scale adopted by the  
               Commission.


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             C.   Requires applicants demonstrate where the facility  
               or facilities where the moneys will be expended are  
               located and where the benefits of the assistance will  
               be realized in the state.

             D.   That wages the applicant pays its employees in the  
               state are on average, equal to or more than the  
               average monthly wage rate for similar workers in the  
               same industry subsector.

             E.   The applicant's turnover rate has not exceeded 20  
               percent annually at any facility where moneys obtained  
               through the program will be used.

             F.   Requires each applicant to agree to annually report  
               to the Commission on total capital investment made by  
               the company and total employment, including wage  
               levels by the type of work, in the prior year and the  
               following two years.  Also requires the applicant to  
               estimate the number of jobs created or retained  
               through the provision of this state assistance, as  
               well as provide other appropriate performance data, as  
               determined by the Commission.

          1. Requires the Commission develop a process for the  
             ongoing monitoring of current and outstanding loans,  
             loan guarantees, and lines of credit and develop and  
             maintain a data base on loans, loan guarantees, or lines  
             of credit from the fund.

          2. Requires the Commission adopt minimum standards for the  
             documentation, underwriting, and servicing of loans,  
             loan guarantees, or lines of credit made by the  
             commission or made by participating financial  
             institutions on the commission's behalf or directly by a  
             participating financial institution pursuant to the  
             commission's program.

          3. Requires the Commission provide technical assistance to  
             participating financial institutions in order to  
             increase utilization of the minimum documentation,  
             underwriting, and servicing standards.

          4. Requires the Commission's evaluation criteria for  

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             reviewing applications and determining financing  
             approvals include all of the following:

               ?      Whether employment benefits arising out of the  
                 use of the financing secures the employment of  
                 existing employees or increases the overall number  
                 of full-time employees of the company.
               ?      Whether the company provides compensation for  
                 employees at the project facility which exceeds the  
                 average compensation for similar employment within  
                 the company's jurisdiction or within the state.
               ?      Whether the company provides health benefits to  
                 employees employed at the project facility or  
                 contributions to employee retirement benefits.
               ?      Whether the project will provide energy,  
                 mineral or natural, or cultivated resource  
                 conservation benefits.
               ?      Whether the project will include building  
                 certified environmentally beneficial facilities,  
                 bringing existing facilities up to certified  
                 environmentally beneficial status, or implementing  
                 energy efficiency measures and installing renewable  
                 energy equipment.
               ?      Whether the company purchases raw materials or  
                 other products from California-based companies.

          1. Requires priority for loans, loan guarantees, or lines  
             of credit be given to those companies that do all of the  
             following:

               ?      Retain or create the greatest number of jobs  
                 compensated at a wage rate above the average monthly  
                 wage rate for a similar company in the project  
                 jurisdiction or in the state.
               ?      Have the greatest beneficial economic impact on  
                 the state and local economies as a result of the  
                 financing.
               ?      Have the greatest negative economic impact on  
                 the state and local economies and on other  
                 businesses in the state if it moved its operations  
                 to another state or otherwise ceased operations  
                 within the state.

          1. Requires priority for loans, loan guarantees, or lines  

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             of credit be given to those companies that submit  
             applications jointly with the union representing workers  
             at the facility or the union with pending representation  
             of workers at the facility.

          2. Requires any construction, improvement, reconstruction,  
             or rehabilitation financed, in whole or in part, by  
             means of loans, loan guarantees, or lines of credit  
             issued pursuant to this article that, pursuant to a  
             resolution of intention, all workers employed in that  
             work, exclusive of maintenance work, shall be paid not  
             less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages  
             for work of a similar character in the locality in which  
             the work is performed, and not less than the general  
             prevailing rate of per diem wages for holiday and  
             overtime work.

          3. Requires each applicant to pay a nonrefundable  
             application that covers the full amount of the cost for  
             administering the program, including a proportional  
             share of the development of the program, review of  
             applications, and the monitoring and oversight of the  
             program.  Requires these moneys to be deposited into the  
             Account for the purpose of ensuring that funds are  
             available to the state for the sole purpose of  
             administration of the program.

          4. Requires all moneys received from private and public  
             funding sources to for the purpose of implementing the  
             Program to be deposited into the Account and all loan  
             repayments, interest, and royalties must be deposited  
             back into the Account.

          5. Prohibits General Fund moneys from being deposited in  
             the Account.

          6. Prohibits the Commission from commencing the Program  
             prior to its adoption of a resolution finding that there  
             is sufficient money in the Account to cover the costs of  
             implementing the Program, including, but not limited to,  
             appropriate oversight costs.

          7. Authorizes moneys in the Account to be allocated by the  
             Commission to a lending institution or financial company  

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             that will act as trustee of the funds, with the approval  
             of the Department of Finance, upon appropriation by the  
             Legislature.

          8. Requires the Commission, beginning October 1, 2012, to  
             annually post on its Internet Web site and provide the  
             Legislature with a report with specified information on  
             the Program's activities and impact on the manufacturing  
             industry, and on the state's economy generally.

          9. Sunsets the provisions of the Act of 2010 on January 1,  
             2016.

           Background
           
          According to the author's office, "manufacturing in  
          California, even prior to the current economic recession,  
          faced many challenges maintaining global and domestic  
          competitiveness, including providing a skilled workforce to  
          support the changing needs of manufacturing and goods  
          movement, and maintaining cost-effective productivity in  
          the face of lower safety and wage standards in emerging  
          foreign markets.  Globalization has given rise to economic  
          clusters in other areas of the US and the world, which  
          directly compete with California businesses.  Many states  
          have established targeted economic incentives to attract  
          manufacturing facilities."  The Author provides several  
          examples listed below.

           Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Compact (MS/TN)  :  The  
          purpose of this compact is to promote the development of an  
          undeveloped rural area of Marshall County, Mississippi.,  
          and Fayette County, Tennessee, and to create a development  
          authority which incorporates public and private  
          partnerships to facilitate the economic growth of such  
          areas by providing developed sites for the location and  
          construction of manufacturing plants, distribution  
          facilities, research facilities, regional and national  
          offices with supportive services and facilities, and to  
          establish a joint interstate authority to assist in these  
          efforts.
           
          Michigan SmartZones  :  The program consists of  
          collaborations among universities, industry, research  

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          organizations, government and other local institutions that  
          have resulted in regionally based high-tech zones which  
          target growth in a specific economic sector that fits the  
          geographic region's strengths and needs, creating clusters  
          of high-skilled, high-paying jobs.

           Arizona Clean Technology Credit  :  The goal of the new  
          program (enacted in 2009) is to encourage business  
          investment that will produce high quality employment  
          opportunities and enhance Arizona's position as a center  
          for production and use of renewable energy products.  The  
          program offers two benefits:  up to a 10% refundable income  
          tax credit and up to a 75% reduction on real and personal  
          property taxes, for companies that are primarily engaged in  
          the manufacturing of or headquarters for producing systems  
          and components that are used or useful in manufacturing  
          renewable energy equipment.  The company must also be  
          expanding or locating in Arizona, create fulltime  
          employment positions of which at least 51% are paid at  
          least 125% of the state's annual median wage (currently  
          $30,940), offers to pay at least 80% of the health  
          insurance costs for all net new fulltime employment  
          positions, and spend at least $250,000 in qualifying  
          investments during each twelve-month period.

           Missouri Life Science Trust Fund  :  In 2007, Missouri's  
          General Assembly approved the $13.4 million funding of the  
          Missouri Life Sciences Research Trust Fund to enhance  
          research capacity and transform research into commercial  
          life science technology.  In conjunction with Missouri's  
          universities and industry, $10.5 million was awarded for  
          research grants and $2.6 million for commercialization  
          grants.  This Trust Fund is in addition to $15 million the  
          state earmarked to the Missouri Technology Corporation  
          (MTC) for various programs designed to improve  
          commercialization of Missouri technologies.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

          According to the Senate Appropriations Committee: 

                          Fiscal Impact (in thousands)


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           Major Provisions                2010-11     2011-12     
           2012-13   Fund  
          Loan and Loan Guarantees                                
          Unknown major costs through January 1,                  
          Special*
                              2016 to the extent funds are available

          CIDFAC administration                                  $221  
          one-time.  Ongoing costs are likely                     
          Special*
                              similar, and would be partially offset  
          by fees
                              Costs may vary based upon requirements
                              of federal legislation providing  
          funding

          * Manufacturing Program Account

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  8/16/10)

          California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO (source) 
          California Manufacturers & Technology Association
          California State Pipe Trades Council
          California State Treasurer
          California State Association of Electrical Workers
          Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers


           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    The California Labor Federation  
          (CLF) states, "U.S. Congress is considering legislation to  
          fund state manufacturing loan and loan guarantee programs.   
          This bill would prepare California to receive such funds  
          and does not use state General Fund dollars to capitalize  
          the loan and loan guarantee program."

          "Investment in manufacturing, in particular, is a smart way  
          to spur economic recovery.  Manufacturing jobs have the  
          highest multiplier effect of any job classification in any  
          industry - for every manufacturing job created, an  
          additional 2.5 jobs are created in the broader economy.

          "California has great potential to generate new  
          manufacturing activity, especially in the green economy?   
          However, there is a gap between innovation and the capacity  

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          to commercialize those innovations and produce in the  
          state.  A manufacturing loan and loan guarantee program  
          will give business access to the capital it needs to  
          thrive.  Several other states have established similar  
          manufacturing loan programs using federal dollars to  
          capitalize the funds.  By creating the infrastructure for a  
          loan and loan guarantee program, California is positioned  
          to immediately put federal dollars to work when they become  
          available.

          "This measure will help create and retain good jobs because  
          priority for loans will be given to applicant that meet  
          wage goals, provide good health benefits and submit joint  
          labor/management applications.  The legislation also  
          includes important protections for taxpayers by requiring  
          firms that do not meet job creation goals or that move jobs  
          out of state to pay back the loan in full plus interest."


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  
          AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Bass, Beall, Bill  
            Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield, Bradford,  
            Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter,  
            Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon,  
            Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes,  
            Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gilmore,  
            Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber,  
            Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Logue, Bonnie  
            Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande,  
            Niello, Nielsen, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Ruskin,  
            Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson,  
            Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, Yamada, John  
            A. Perez
          NO VOTE RECORDED: Tom Berryhill, DeVore, Lieu, Norby, Audra  
            Strickland, Vacancy


          JA:nl  8/16/10   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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