BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2309
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Date of Hearing: April 17, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 2309 (Hill) - As Amended: March 29, 2012
SUBJECT : Community colleges: San Mateo Innovation Center Pilot
Program
SUMMARY : Authorizes the San Mateo County Community College
District (SMCCD) to partner with the Economic Development and
Growth Enterprise to establish the San Mateo Innovation Center
Pilot Program (Pilot). Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes the SMCCD to establish the Pilot to accomplish all
of the following:
a) Promote business development and job creation by helping
early stage business ventures with new ideas to find
funding or to reach operating stability.
b) Leverage underutilized infrastructure and
entrepreneurship programs of the CCC system to sponsor
programs that encourage and reward creativity,
collaboration, and innovation.
c) Recruit and coordinate businesses and investors from the
local community to provide funding, sponsorships, and
internships.
2)Provides that the provisions of this bill are operative only
if the Legislature appropriates funds or if sufficient private
funding is received for this purpose.
3)Sunsets all of the aforementioned on January 1, 2016.
EXISTING LAW establishes the California Community Colleges
Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) Program as a primary
mission of the California Community Colleges (CCC). The EWD
program is administered through the CCC Chancellor's Office for
the purpose of advancing California's economic growth and global
competitiveness through education, training, and services that
contribute to continuous work force improvement, technology,
deployment, and business development. CCCs work with employers,
advisory committees, and agency partners to identify, on a
AB 2309
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region-by-region basis, workforce education and training needs,
including the needs of small business. (Education Code � 88525
and 88550.5)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by
Legislative Counsel. However, the Assembly Appropriations
Committee has requested to review this bill, should it be
approved by the Higher Education Committee.
COMMENTS : Double-referral . This bill has been double-referred
to the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the
Economy.
Purpose of this bill . According to the author, this bill
represents the 2012 Constituent Bill Idea Contest winner. The
bill seeks to establish the Pilot Program to foster
entrepreneurial development and job growth in Peninsula
communities. The bill seeks to address a problem that
individuals and small businesses often have taking their company
to the next level by helping early stage business ventures with
new ideas to either find early stage funding or to reach the
point of operating stability. By bringing the SMCCD and the
Economic Development and Growth Enterprise together the goal is
to nurture job growth in the Peninsula since the state's small
business development centers are being scaled back through
budget cuts. This bill is intended to ensure the SMCCD can
receive private funding to operate the Pilot.
Legislation is not necessary . As noted by the author, there is
no specific deficiency in current law. Current law authorizes
SMCCD to undertake pilot programs like the one outlined in this
bill. However, this bill is designed to take a proactive step
to promote job growth and business development in the region.
While legislation is not necessary, the author believes that if
the bill were implemented and a program were started at SMCCD
the region would benefit through job creation by linking up
students, academia and the private sector.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on File
Opposition
AB 2309
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None on File
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960