BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1910
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Date of Hearing: May 14, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 1910 (Gray) - As Amended: May 5, 2014
Policy Committee: JEDE Vote:5-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the San Joaquin Valley Regional Economic
Planning and Preparedness Council (Council), under the
California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB), to develop an oil
and natural gas workforce strategy to address workforce needs.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Specifies that the membership of the Council includes
representatives from the CWIB including, but not limited to
representatives from the following categories: K-12
education, the California Community College system, the
Employment Development Department, the Department of Food and
Agriculture, the Governor's Office of Business and Economic
Development, and the California Transportation Commission.
2)Requires the Council to develop the framework, funding
strategies, and programs to address specified energy workforce
needs. Tasks of the Council include: encouraging regional
collaboration among local workforce investment areas;
developing public/private partnerships to build and expand the
state's workforce development programs; providing policy
guidance for job training programs; and developing collecting,
and distributing statewide and regional labor market data on
California's workforce needs, trends, and job growth in the
oil and gas industry.
3)Requires the Council to report annually on the status of the
council activities and its development of an oil and natural
gas workforce strategic initiative.
FISCAL EFFECT
AB 1910
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Ongoing costs of $110,000 to CWIB to oversee the Council. CWIB
indicates a portion of the costs could be covered by federal WIA
discretionary funds, however, this funding has been stressed due
to federal reductions in prior years. CWIB indicates General
Fund may be needed to provide ongoing support for the Council.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the findings and declarations of the
bill, the San Joaquin Valley has experienced extremely high
unemployment during the past two decades, ranging from 62% to
152% above the statewide average, with 50% of the population
living on poverty-level incomes, including both unemployed and
underemployed individuals. This bill seeks to create a
council to develop framework, funding strategies, and
programs, to address the need for a highly skilled and
well-trained workforce in the San Joaquin Valley.
2)Background . The San Joaquin Valley Partnership (Partnership),
serving the region for over a decade, appears to serve many of
the same purposes as the council that would be created under
this bill. In 2006, the Partnership developed a strategic
plan and was awarded $2.5 million in grant funding to
implement their strategic plan. These moneys served as a
catalyst for advancing the locally defined priority projects
and helped secure additional state funding for a variety of
local needs. Today, the Partnership exists as a
public-private partnership focused on achieving "a prosperous
economy, quality environment, and social equality throughout
California's great San Joaquin Valley." The Partnership
includes representatives from state, county, and local
governments, business; industry, agriculture, academia, and
the nonprofit community.
Analysis Prepared by : Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081