California Assembly Bill AB2143 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2143AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 15, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 1, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 27, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 19, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 6, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gilmore (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Arambula and Cook) FEBRUARY 18, 2010 An act relating to  workforce development   military and veterans, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately  . LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2143, as amended, Gilmore.  Workforce development: Employment Development Department: veterans: report.   Military and veterans: benefits programs: workforce development: report.   Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs within state government and sets forth its powers and duties, including, but not limited to, administration of veterans benefits programs.   This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to consult with other state agencies and departments, as specified, for the purpose of coordinating and administering veterans assistance programs in the state.  Existing law contains various programs for job training and employment investment, including work incentive and employment training outreach programs. This bill would require the Employment Development Department to submit a report, on or before March 1, 2011, to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, regarding the department's veteran employment and job training programs and suggested options for a governance and management model to increase program integration and coordination, improve service delivery efficiency, and enhance program performance.  This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.  Vote:  majority   2/3  . Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   The Department of Veterans Affairs shall consult with other state agencies and departments, including, but not limited to, the Employment Development Department, the Labor Workforce Development Agency, the Employment Training Panel, the California Workforce Investment Board, the State Department of Mental Health, the Department of General Services, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, and representatives of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, for the purpose of coordinating and administering veterans assistance programs in the state.   SECTION 1.   SEC. 2.  (a) On or before March 1, 2011, the Employment Development Department, in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature regarding both of the following: (1) How the Employment Development Department's veteran employment and job training programs are currently structured. (2) Suggested options for a governance and management model to increase program integration and coordination, improve service delivery efficiency, and enhance program performance. (b) The report required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (1) A recommended set of goals and objectives, in relation to increasing employment and training opportunities for veterans, and appropriate performance standards that may be established to evaluate the effectiveness and accountability of veteran employment and job training programs administered by, or funded through, state agencies and departments. (2) A description of the extent to which veterans are integrated in California's Strategic Plan under the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Wagner-Peyser Act. (3) Information regarding how federal Veteran Employment and Assistance Program and Workforce Investment Act grants are integrated and coordinated to support veteran employment and job training programs and how these grants could more significantly contribute to the effectiveness of the state's veteran employment and job training programs. (4) Identification of federal and state funding for veteran employment and job training programs, including, but not limited to, funding from the federal Jobs for Veterans Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998; statutory or regulatory restrictions, if any, which prevent the integration and coordination of the programs; and recommendations regarding securing or leveraging additional government and nongovernmental funding sources. (5) The status of any federal waivers necessary to increase the integration and coordination of veteran employment and job training programs. (6) A description of other integrated and coordinated state veteran employment and job training program delivery models that represent best practices, and whether those models could be employed in this state to improve the delivery of veteran employment and job training services. (7) Recommendations on how a state integrated and coordinated veteran employment and job training program could improve the percentage of California veterans qualifying for unemployment insurance and federal veteran compensation and pension benefits to which veterans are entitled. (8) The type of training necessary for state and local personnel to better support the operation of veteran employment and job training programs and the delivery of these services. (c) The Employment Development Department shall consult with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the California Research Bureau, and other state and local agencies and departments that administer or offer veteran employment and job training programs, or have related programs and services that serve veterans, in order to ascertain the information required to be submitted in the report as specified in subdivision (b). (d) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under subdivision (a) is inoperative on March 1, 2015, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code. (2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.  SEC. 3.   This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:   In order to provide veterans with assistance programs and employment and job training services as soon as possible, it is necessary that this act go into immediate effect.