Amended in Assembly April 1, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1797

Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez

February 18, 2014

begin delete An act to add Section 3073.7 to the Labor Code, relating to apprenticeship. end delete begin insert An act to add Section 14017 to the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to the California Workforce Investment Board. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1797, as amended, Rodriguez. begin delete Apprenticeship programs. end delete begin insert California end insert begin insert Workforce Investment Board. end insert

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Under existing law, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency consists of, among other entities, the California Workforce Investment Board and the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law makes the board responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st Century economy and workforce. Existing law provides for the establishment of apprenticeship programs in various trades, to be approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations in any trade in the state or in a city or trade area whenever the apprentice training needs justify the establishment.

end insert begin insert

In efforts to expand job training and employment for allied health professions, this bill would require the board, in consultation with the division, to, among other things, identify opportunities for “earn and learn” job training opportunities and develop the means to identify, assess, and prepare a pool of qualified candidates seeking to enter “earn and learn” job training models. The bill would require the board, on or before December 1, 2015, to prepare and submit to specified legislative committees a report documenting the above findings and making recommendations based on those findings.

end insert begin delete

Existing law provides for the establishment of apprenticeship programs in various trades, to be approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations in any trade in the state or in a city or trade area whenever the apprentice training needs justify the establishment. Existing law establishes the California Apprenticeship Council, composed of 6 representatives of entities that sponsor apprenticeship programs, as prescribed, and of 2 representatives of the general public. The Director of Industrial Relations, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, or their designees, are also members of the council. The council aids the director in formulating policies relating to the effective administration of apprenticeship programs.

end delete begin delete

The bill would require the division, in consultation with the California Workforce Investment Board, the State Department of Education, and representatives for the California Community College system, to establish and coordinate a stakeholders group that includes representatives of health care providers, employers or employer organizations, hospital systems, community clinics, patients, caregivers, and patient advocacy organizations. The bill would require the stakeholders group to identify opportunities for apprenticeships, identify and develop specific requirements and qualifications for entry into apprenticeships, establish standards for corresponding preapprenticeship skills training programs, and work with designated entities to identify, assess, and prepare a pool of qualified candidates seeking to enter apprenticeship. The bill would require the chief, on or before December 1, 2015, to prepare and submit to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature a report on the findings and recommendations of the stakeholders group.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 14017 is added to the end insert begin insert Unemployment
Insurance Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 14017. end insert   

(a) In efforts to expand job training and employment
for allied health professions, the California Workforce Investment
Board, in consultation with the Division of Apprenticeship
Standards, shall do the following:

(1) Identify opportunities for “earn and learn” job training
opportunities that meet the industry’s workforce demands and that
are in high-wage, high-demand jobs.

(2) Identify and develop specific requirements and qualifications
for entry into “earn and learn” job training models and establish
standards for corresponding skills training programs that result
in an industry-recognized credential certifying that the individual
is ready to enter an “earn and learn” job training model in the
allied health professions.

(3) Develop means to identify, assess, and prepare a pool of
qualified candidates seeking to enter “earn and learn” job training
models.

(b) (1) The board, on or before December 1, 2015, shall prepare
and submit to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature
a report on the findings and recommendations of the board.

(2) The requirement for submitting a report imposed pursuant
to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2019, pursuant to
Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

end insert

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

Section 3073.7 is added to the Labor Code, to
read:

3073.7.  

(a) The Division of Apprenticeship Standards, in
consultation with the California Workforce Investment Board, the
State Department of Education, and representatives for the
California Community College system, shall establish and
coordinate a stakeholders group that includes representatives of
health care providers, employers or employer organizations,
hospital systems, community clinics, patients, caregivers, and
patient advocacy organizations. The purposes of the stakeholders
group are to identify the demand in health care professions and
develop pathways for careers in health care professions, including,
but not limited to, evaluating the feasibility of establishing an
apprenticeship program in the health care professions where the
demand for skills and training is the highest.

(b) The stakeholders group shall do the following:

(1) Collaborate with health industry organizations in the state
to identify opportunities for apprenticeships that meet the industry’s
work-force demands and that are in high-wage, high-demand jobs.

(2) Identify and develop specific requirements and qualifications
for entry into apprenticeships and establish standards for
corresponding preapprenticeship skills training programs that result
in an industry-recognized credential certifying that the individual
is ready to enter apprenticeship.

(3) Work with the department, the California Community
College system, school districts, One-Stop Career Centers, local
workforce investment boards, and other appropriate partners to
identify, assess, and prepare a pool of qualified candidates seeking
to enter apprenticeship.

(c) (1) The Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards,
on or before December 1, 2015, shall prepare and submit to the
appropriate policy committees of the Legislature a report on the
findings and recommendations of the stakeholders group.

(2) The requirement for submitting a report imposed pursuant
to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2019, pursuant to
Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

(3) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall
be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

end delete