BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1797
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1797 (Rodriguez)
As Amended June 4, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |64-12|(May 15, 2014) |SENATE: |29-7 |(June 30, |
| | | | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: L. & E.
SUMMARY : Requires the California Workforce Investment Board
(CWIB), in consultation with the Division of Apprenticeship
Standards (DAS) to conduct specified activity related to
expanding job training and employment for allied health
professions.
The Senate amendments require the CWIB to establish standards
for "earn and learn" job training programs that are outcome
oriented and accountable. The standards shall measure the
results from program participation, including a measurement of
how many complete the program with an industry-recognized
credential that certifies that the individual is ready to enter
the specific allied health profession for which he or she has
been trained.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill:
1)Required the CWIB, in consultation with the DAS, in efforts to
expand job training and employment for allied health
professionals, to do the following:
a) 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.
b) 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.
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c) Develop means to identify, assess, and prepare a pool of
qualified candidates seeking to enter "earn and learn" job
training models.
2)Required the CWIB to prepare and submit to the appropriate
policy committees of the Legislature a report on its findings
and recommendations on or before December 1, 2015.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : According to the author, the demand for healthcare
workers in the United States has remained high for many years,
growing at a rate faster than the overall employment rate for
the past 50 years. The United States Department of Labor's
Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that of the 20 industries
projected to gain the most jobs between 2008 and 2018, five of
those industries relate to health care:
1)Offices of physicians (772,000 new jobs);
2)Home health care services (441,000);
3)Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities
(431,000);
4)Nursing care facilities (394,000); and
5)Offices of dentists (233,000).
The author states that currently, health care providers face a
range of employment and workforce issues. There are significant
shortages of healthcare workers in certain occupations and
geographic areas, while there is oversupply in other areas.
According to a recently published survey by the California
Hospital Association, California's hospitals could need more
than one million new allied health professionals by 2030. An
aging population, population growth, and federal health reform
will likely contribute to the increased demand.
The author argues that "earn and learn" job training programs
(including apprenticeships) have been increasingly recognized as
a highly effective workforce strategy for building skills and
earnings in entry- and middle-level jobs, for increasing
productivity and for aligning employer demands with the supply
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of workers for this critical industry. These training programs
can be a critical part of the workforce strategy related to
healthcare reform as it is seen as a way to train long-term care
workers and address some of the workforce issues including
recruitment and retention, training a quality workforce and
improving quality of patient care.
The author states that lack of clear career pathways for
healthcare workers means that people with the greatest longevity
and experience in the industry may find themselves "stuck" in
low-skill, low-wage jobs with little opportunity for
advancement, and employers may be less able to take advantage of
the skills they have gained over the years. Because the cost to
train healthcare workers is high, turnover can be a significant
expense for healthcare industry employers.
Analysis Prepared by : Ben Ebbink / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091
FN: 0004061