BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
Ted W. Lieu, Chair
Date of Hearing: April 10, 2013 2013-2014 Regular
Session
Consultant: Alma Perez Fiscal:Yes
Urgency: No
Bill No: SB 723
Author: Correa
As Introduced/Amended: February 22, 2013
SUBJECT
Veterans
KEY ISSUES
Should the Legislature require the Employment Development
Department and the Department of Consumer Affairs to jointly
develop a report which examines ways in which military
occupations and experience can be readily transferred to
high-demand civilian jobs?
Should the Legislature require that this report examine best
practices by other states in facilitating the credentialing of
veterans by using their prior military education and experience?
ANALYSIS
Existing law authorizes the Employment Development Department
(EDD), among other things, to study and make recommendations as
to actions which might promote the prevention of unemployment
and stabilization of employment, encourage and assist in the
adoption of practical methods of vocational training, and
promote re-employment of workers. (Unemployment Insurance �325)
Existing law also requires the EDD, in consultation and
coordination with veterans' organizations and veteran service
providers, to do all of the following (UI �325.5):
a) Research the needs of veterans throughout the state and
develop a profile of veterans'
employment and training needs;
b) Develop a statewide plan for the equitable distribution
of employment funds for
veterans' employment services; and
c) Seek federal funding for purposes of subdivision (a).
Existing law requires that EDD, following any fiscal year in
which state funds support the Veterans Employment Training
services program, to provide an annual report to the Legislature
(on or before November 1) regarding the following performance
measures (UI �325.6):
1) The number of veterans receiving individualized, case
managed services.
2) The number of veterans receiving these services and
entering employment.
3) The retention rate for veterans who enter employment.
4) The average earnings for veterans entering employment.
This Bill would require the Employment Development Department
and the Department of Consumer Affairs, on or before January 1,
2015, to jointly present a report to the Legislature containing
all of the following:
1) Best practices by state governments around the nation in
facilitating the credentialing of veterans by using their
documented military education and experience.
2) Military occupational specialties within all branches of
the United States Armed Forces that readily transfer to
high-demand civilian jobs.
3) The departments' past and current efforts to collaborate
with key public and private sector stakeholders to address
the gaps between military training programs and state
credentialing programs with respect to at least five
specific vocations or professions that are credentialed or
licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Hearing Date: April 10, 2013 SB 723
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 2
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
COMMENTS
1. Background on the Veteran Population in CA:
California is home to over 1.8 million veterans, representing
8.3 percent of the total U.S. veteran population. Seventy-two
percent of the veteran population are fifty years of age or
above, and the number of veterans 85 years of age or older is
projected to increase 20% between 2010 and 2019. California's
Department of Veterans Affairs anticipates receiving an
additional 35,000-40,000 discharged members of the armed
services each year for the next several years - more than any
other state. According to the department, historically, the
largest demand for benefits and services for veterans occurs
immediately after discharge and again as the veteran
population ages and requires greater access to medical
facilities and long-term care services.
2. Employment Assistance Services for Veterans:
The Employment Development Department assists veterans and
their eligible spouses maximize their employment and training
opportunities through individualized case managed services.
The EDD veterans' representatives specialize in assisting
veterans in their efforts to return to work and are located in
many local EDD offices. Services provided include a veteran
24-hour priority hold on all job listings, customized job
search assistance, job fairs, employer recruitments, and other
events and resources.
Additionally, in coordination with the California Workforce
Investment Board, EDD funds organizations to offer services
targeted to meet the veterans' unique needs and occupational
goals with an emphasis on those who recently returned to
civilian life. Agencies are tasked with preparing veterans for
careers in a variety of fields in high demand.
3. Need for this bill?
While existing law already requires the EDD, in consultation
Hearing Date: April 10, 2013 SB 723
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 3
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
and coordination with veterans' organizations and veteran
service providers, to research the needs of veterans
throughout the state and develop a profile of veterans'
employment and training needs - changing economic times
require continuous evaluation of these services to ensure
needs are being met and veteran workers are getting crucial
services necessary to enter into stable long-term employment.
Unfortunately, according to a January 2013 memorandum prepared
by the Senate Office of Research (SOR), titled Employment
Opportunities for (Semi-Skilled or Unskilled) Veterans,
California does not provide a coordinated, integrated system
that streamlines employment-related services to veterans.
According to SOR, veterans find many services fragmented and
without a single point of entry.
SOR also examined the need to facilitate veterans who want to
receive licensure or certification (academic) credit for
military education, training, and experience. According to
the author, in mid-March, the Joint Legislative Audit
Committee approved Sen. Correa's request to conduct a
comprehensive audit of the EDD's effectiveness in providing
employment assistance and job training programs to veterans.
This includes determining if EDD has identified best practices
for translating military training and experience into
comparable civilian job skills. It also asked the State
Auditor to determine if EDD's strategic plan considers the
unique needs of veterans.
This bill would require the Employment Development Department
and the Department of Consumer Affairs, on or before January
1, 2015, jointly to present a report to the Legislature
addressing specified matters relating to military training
programs and state credentialing programs.
4. Double Referral :
This bill has been double referred and, if approved by this
committee, it will be sent to the Senate Business, Professions
and Economic Development Committee for a hearing.
5. Suggested Committee Amendments :
Hearing Date: April 10, 2013 SB 723
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 4
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
This bill would direct the Employment Development Department
and the Department of Consumer Affairs to conduct a report
examining ways in which credentialing of veterans could be
facilitated by using their documented military education and
experience. Last year the Governor signed AB 2462 (Block)
directing the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
to determine which courses should be awarded credit for prior
military academic experience using standards of the American
Council on Education.
Since the bill is referring to credentialing, and the ability
to transfer military experience for this purpose, committee
staff suggest directing EDD and the DCA to prepare this report
in consultation with the Chancellor of the California
Community Colleges to ensure that this information is gathered
directly from the agency knowledgeable in that specific issue
area.
Section (c) of the bill would direct the departments' to
report to the Legislature on current and past efforts to
collaborate with key public and private sector stakeholders to
address the gaps between military training programs and state
credentialing programs with respect to at least five specific
vocations or professions that are credentialed or licensed by
the Department of Consumer Affairs. The author may wish to
provide further clarity as to which five vocations or
professions the bill would be directing the department to
study for this purpose.
Given the double referral of SB 723 and short time frame, the
Committee staff will work with the author's office to ensure
that these amendments are addressed in the next policy
committee.
6. Proponent Arguments :
According to the author, veterans are held back, prevented, or
discouraged from finding or securing employment when either
colleges or state boards establish policies that do not
recognize military education and training. The author argues
that working with the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and
the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office,
Hearing Date: April 10, 2013 SB 723
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 5
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
equivalent course work for training in the military could be
established to ensure that service members would not have to
repeat requirements or lower-level remedial classes to obtain
academic credit for an occupational certificate or specific
license.
The author cites the SOR brief to highlight the fact that
there are approximately 24 states that have created
alternative forms of licensing to assist military spouses.
According to the author, creating pathways for out-of-state
licenses to be temporarily recognized, utilizing multistate
licensing procedures, or expediting the licensing process for
military spouses have been demonstrated to be successful in
many states to ensure a smoother transition for those service
spouses of deployed or transferred members. With this bill,
the author hopes CA would also be able to provide a more
streamlined process to help military members.
7. Opponent Arguments :
None received.
8. Prior Legislation :
AB 2462 (Block) of 2012: Chaptered
AB 2462 requires the Chancellor of the California Community
Colleges to determine which courses should be awarded credit
for prior military academic experience using standards of the
American Council on Education.
AB 1904 (Block) of 2012: Chaptered
AB 1904 requires boards under the Department of Consumer
Affairs to expedite the licensure process for military spouses
and domestic partners of military members on active duty in
California.
AB 2659 (Blumenfield) of 2012: Chaptered
AB 2659 permits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to
waive the driving skills test
required to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL) for a
person with a U.S. Armed Forces military driver's license in
compliance with federal regulations, as specified.
Hearing Date: April 10, 2013 SB 723
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 6
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
SUPPORT
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
OPPOSITION
None received
Hearing Date: April 10, 2013 SB 723
Consultant: Alma Perez Page 7
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations