BILL NUMBER: SB 410	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Ducheny

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to add Section 14003.5 to the Unemployment Insurance Code,
relating to workforce investment.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 410, as introduced, Ducheny. California Workforce Investment
Act: federal funding.
   The federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 provides for
workforce investment activities, including activities in which states
may participate. Under existing law, the California Workforce
Investment Board is responsible for assisting the Governor in the
development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's
workforce investment system. Existing law requires the board, among
other things, to assist the Governor with promoting the development
of a well-educated and highly skilled workforce and developing the
State Workplace Investment Plan.
   This bill would express legislative findings and declarations with
respect to the need to increase funding for job training provided
under the act to ensure that an adequate percentage of the federal
funding available is used for training purposes. The bill would
require that, notwithstanding any other law, not less than 40% of the
federal funds available to the state for use workforce investment
pursuant to the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 be used for
purposes related to employment training, and would prohibit the use
of more than 3% of that amount for administrative costs related to
the provision of that training.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (a) California's unemployment rate has increased dramatically in
recent months, and now stands at a rate of approximately 9.3 percent
statewide. Over 30 of California's counties have unemployment rates
at or above 10 percent, and in the last year, approximately 650,000
Californians have lost their jobs while the total number of
unemployed individuals in the state has risen to over 1.7 million.
   (b) Ensuring access to, and increasing the availability of, job
training is vital to California's economy and will help to ensure the
survival of the state's businesses and industry during challenging
times.
   (c) Federal funding assistance for employment training is
critically needed to put Californians back to work.
  SEC. 2.  Section 14003.5 is added to the Unemployment Insurance
Code, to read:
   14003.5.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, not less than 40
percent of the funds received by the state pursuant to the federal
Workforce Investment Act for the purposes of this division shall be
used for training purposes.
   (b) Not more than 3 percent of the funds used for training
pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be used for administrative costs
related to the provision of that training.