BILL NUMBER: AB 2437INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member V. Manuel Perez FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to add Section 71098 to the Education Code, relating to community colleges, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2437, as introduced, V. Manuel Perez. Community colleges: green technology training: workforce development strategy. (1) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law requires the board of governors to appoint a chief executive officer, known as the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2013, the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program. Existing law requires the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as part of the program, to assist economic and workforce regional development centers and consortia, including middle and junior high schools or high schools and regional occupational centers and programs, to improve linkages and career-technical education pathways between high schools and community colleges for the benefit of pupils and students in both education systems and requires this assistance to include, among other things, expansion of certificate programs in identified economic development program strategic priority areas. This bill would require the Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division of the office of the chancellor, in cooperation with the Workforce Investment Board, the California Employment Training Panel, the California Economic Strategy Panel, and other organizations, to prepare a strategy for the purpose of determining how to expend federal economic stimulus moneys targeted for workforce development. The bill would require the strategy to include an assessment of workforce training needs and would require the strategy to identify workforce development partners and resources. The bill would require the chancellor to submit that strategy to the Legislature. (2) Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to develop, implement, and administer a program, titled the Public Interest Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Program, to include a full range of research, development, and demonstration activities that are not adequately provided for by competitive and regulated energy markets. Existing law establishes the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Fund in the State Treasury, and provides that the money collected from electrical corporations to support cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation activities, and public interest research and development not adequately provided by competitive and regulated markets, be deposited in the fund for use by the Energy Commission for implementation and administration of the program. This bill would appropriate $15,000,000 from the fund to the California Community Colleges for the purpose of providing green technology training through career technical and vocational programs. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to allocate to the California Community Colleges up to $15,000,000 from specified economic recovery funds received from the federal government in lieu of the appropriation from the fund. The bill would require that an amount equal to that allocation revert back to the fund if the Energy Commission makes that allocation. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 71098 is added to the Education Code, to read: 71098. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The purpose of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program is to advance the state's economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to workforce improvement, technology deployment, and business development, consistent with the state's regional economies. Under this program, the California Community Colleges work with employers, advisory committees, and agency partners to identify, on a region-by-region basis, workforce education and training needs, including the needs of small businesses. (2) The Career Technical Education Unit of the Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division of the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges focuses on program coordination and advocacy, policy development, and coordination with K-14 workforce preparation and career and technical education systems. That unit is responsible for implementation of the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 and the Governor's Career Pathways Initiative, and for the development, dissemination, and implementation of the California State Plan for Vocational and Technical Education and the annual performance reports. (3) The Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division of the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges has a variety of responsibilities related to workforce and economic development, including the implementation of a comprehensive plan for vocational and technical education and the delivery of industry-focused technical assistance activities pursuant to the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program. (4) In 1996, economic development became a primary mission of the California Community Colleges. (b) The Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division of the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall prepare a strategy for the purpose of determining how to expend federal economic stimulus funds targeted for workforce development. The strategy shall include all of the following information: (1) An assessment of workforce training needs based on existing job opportunities, the status of workforce skills in each of the economic regions of the state, and regionally significant and emerging industries, and shall include particular attention to jobs in clean technology industries. (2) An identification of key public and private community, economic, and workforce development partners. (3) An identification of existing state, regional, and local public and private workforce development resources. (4) An identification of statutory and regulatory changes that should be made in order to best utilize federal economic stimulus funds targeted for workforce development. (5) An identification of new resources that should be made available to accomplish the objectives of the workforce development strategy. (6) A description of key tasks, timelines, outcomes, and monitoring processes for purposes of developing the workforce development strategy. (c) The strategy described in subdivision (b) shall build upon the California State Plan for Vocational and Technical Education and shall include priorities determined by the Workforce Investment Board, the California Employment Training Panel, and the California Economic Strategy Panel. (d) The strategy described in subdivision (b) shall be developed in cooperation with the Workforce Investment Board, the California Employment Training Panel, the California Economic Strategy Panel, and appropriate business and labor organizations. (e) The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall submit the strategy prepared pursuant to this section to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature within 120 days of holding the first meeting to prepare the strategy. SEC. 2. (a) The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Fund to the California Community Colleges to be used for the purpose of providing green technology training programs funded through the Economic Development and Workforce Preparation Division and the Career Technical Division of the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. (b) The Energy Commission may allocate to the California Community Colleges, from the moneys received for energy-related projects and training pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) or related federal acts, consistent with applicable federal law, and in lieu of the moneys appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), an amount not exceeding fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) for the purposes of subdivision (a). If the Energy Commission allocates money in lieu of the appropriation by subdivision (a), the total amount of the moneys appropriated by subdivision (a) shall be reduced by the amount so allocated and that amount shall revert to the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Fund.