BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 123|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 123
Author: Liu (D), et al
Amended: 3/25/09
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 6-0, 3/18/09
AYES: Romero, Huff, Alquist, Liu, Maldonado, Padilla
NO VOTE RECORDED: Hancock, Simitian, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : California Career Resource Network Program
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill establishes the California Career
Resources Network, an existing independent state agency, as
a program within the California Department of Education.
ANALYSIS : Existing law established in state government
the California Career Resource Network (CalCRN), for the
purpose of providing career development information and
resources to all persons in California. The following
state agency representatives comprise the network:
1.Director of the Department of Employment Development
2.Superintendent of Public Instruction
3.Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
4.Director of the Department of Rehabilitation
5.Director of the Department of Social Services
CONTINUED
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6.Executive Director of the California Workforce
Investment Board
7.Executive Secretary of the Bureau for Private
Postsecondary and Vocational Education
8.Director of the Department of the California Youth
Authority
9.Director of the Department of Corrections
10.Director of the Department of Developmental Services
Existing law, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Improvement Act, provides federal funds to states
for the purpose of involving Career Technical Education
(CTE) programs, integrating academic and CTE curriculum,
serving special populations and meeting gender equity
needs.
This bill:
1.Establishes CalCRN as a program within the California
Department of Education (CDE).
2.Establishes the state agency partners committee to be
comprised of the current network representatives.
3.Specifies that the act becomes operative on July 1, 2010.
This bill retains the coordinating committee structure
through the establishment of the state agency partners
committee. The bill updates the names of agencies that
comprise the network and omits the Bureau for Private
Postsecondary and Vocational Education. The Private
Postsecondary and Vocational Education Reform Act became
inoperative on June 30, 2007, and was repealed on January
1, 2008. Pending legislation, AB 48 (Portantino),
expresses the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation to establish a Bureau for Private Postsecondary
Education and to encourage the Department of Consumer
Affairs to receive and respond to student complaints and
provide information to students and prospective students
until a Bureau is established. SB 489 Lieu would enact the
Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Reform and
Student Consumer Protection Act of 2009, which expresses
the intent of the Legislature to provide certain consumer
protections as specified.
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Comments
What is the CalCRN ? Formerly known as the California
Occupational Information Coordinating Committee, CalCRN was
established by SB 665 (Migden), Chapter 208, Statutes of
2005, to provide all persons in California with career
development information and resources to enable them to
reach their career goals. The primary duty of CalCRN is to
distribute career information, resources, and training
materials to middle and high school counselors, educators,
and administrators to ensure that schools can provide
pupils with career development guidance and instruction.
Efficiency . CalCRN functions as an independent state
agency and is supported through Perkins funds. CalCRN's
small size makes it difficult to efficiently carry out
routine administrative responsibilities, and while it
contracts with the CDE and other state agencies to carry
out some of these functions, managing the contracts
detracts from the ability of staff to focus on policy goals
of CalCRN. By establishing CalCRN as a program within CDE,
this bill creates a "friendly merger" that will enable the
staff to focus on providing information and resources in a
more efficient and effective manner.
Prior Legislation
This bill is identical to AB 1230 (Laird) of the 2007-08
Session, which was passed by both houses of the Legislature
and subsequently vetoed. In his veto message, Governor
Schwarzenegger stated, "The historic delay in passing the
2008-09 State Budget has forced me to prioritize the bills
sent to my desk at the end of the year's legislative
session. Given the delay, I am only signing bills that are
the highest priority for California. This bill does not
meet that standard and I cannot sign it at this time."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/20/09
)
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American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO
Superintendent of Public Instruction
California Teachers Association
DLW:cm 4/21/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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