California Assembly Bill AB2696 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2696INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bass FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to amend Sections 15002 and 15003 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to workforce investment. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2696, as introduced, Bass. California Workforce Investment Board: Green Collar Jobs Council. Existing law establishes the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB), and requires the board to establish a committee known as the Green Collar Jobs Council (GCJC), comprised of specified members, and requires the GCJC to perform certain functions and duties, including the development of a strategic initiative, relating to the training and development of a skilled workforce to meet the needs of California's emerging green economy. This bill would authorize the CWIB to accept any revenues, moneys, grants, goods, or services from federal and state entities, philanthropic organizations, and other sources, to be used for purposes relating to the administration and implementation of the strategic initiative. The bill would require that all moneys and revenues received pursuant to those provisions be deposited into the Green Collar Jobs Account, which the bill would create in the State Treasury. This bill would authorize the Employment Development Department, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to expend those moneys and revenues for purposes related to the administration and implementation of the strategic initiative, and for the award of workforce training grants implementing the strategic initiative. The bill would require the GCJC to consult with appropriate state and local agencies to identify opportunities to coordinate the award of grant and green workforce training funds received by the state under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or any other funding sources. The bill would require the CWIB, on or before April 1, 2011, and annually each April 1 thereafter, to report to the Legislature on the status of GCJC activities, grants awarded, and the development and implementation of a green workforce strategic initiative. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 15002 of the Unemployment Insurance Code is amended to read: 15002. (a) The California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) shall establish a special committee known as the Green Collar Jobs Council (GCJC), comprised of the appropriate representatives from the CWIB existing membership, including the K-12 representative, the California Community Colleges representative, the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency representative, the Employment Development Department representative, and other appropriate members.  The CWIB may call on   The GCJC may consult with  other state agencies, other higher education representatives,  local workforce investment boards,  and industry representatives as well as philanthropic, nongovernmental, and environmental groups  ,  as appropriate  and necessary to serve as consultants to the GCJC   ,  in the development of this strategic initiative. (b) As part of the strategic initiative  ,  the GCJC shall  identify and develop   focus on developing  the framework, funding, strategies, programs, policies, partnerships, and opportunities necessary to address the growing need for a highly skilled and well-trained workforce to meet the needs of California's emerging green economy. The GCJC shall do all of the following: (1) Assist in identifying and linking green collar job opportunities with workforce development training opportunities in local workforce investment areas (LWIAs), encouraging regional collaboration among LWIAs to meet regional economic demands.  (2) Align workforce development activities with regional economic recovery and growth strategies.   (2)   (3)  Develop public, private, philanthropic, and nongovernmental partnerships to build and expand the state's workforce development programs, network, and infrastructure.  (3)   (4)  Provide policy guidance for job training programs  in   for  the clean and green technology sectors to  assist and   help them  prepare specific populations, such as at-risk youth, displaced workers, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, and others facing barriers to employment.  (4)   (5)  Develop, collect, interpret, and distribute statewide and regional labor market data on California's new and emerging green industries workforce needs, trends, and job growth.  (6) Collaborate with community colleges and other educational institutions, registered apprenticeship programs, business and labor organizations, and community-based and philanthropic organizations to align workforce development services with strategies for regional economic growth.   (5)   (7)  Identify funding resources and make recommendations on how to expand and leverage these funds.  (6)   (8)  Foster regional collaboratives in the green economic sector.  (c) The CWIB may accept any revenues, moneys, grants, goods, or services from federal and state entities, philanthropic organizations, and other sources, to be used for purposes relating to the administration and implementation of the strategic initiative, as described in subdivision (b). The CWIB shall also ensure the highest level of transparency and accountability and make information available on the CWIB Internet Web site.   (d) All moneys and revenues received pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be deposited into the Green Collar Jobs Account, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department may expand those moneys and revenues for purposes related to the administration and implementation of the strategic initiative, and for the award of workforce training grants implementing the strategic initiative.   (e) Workforce training grants awarded pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be awarded within 180 days of the date of receipt by the department of any funding for that purpose.  SEC. 2. Section 15003 of the Unemployment Insurance Code is amended to read: 15003.  (a)    On or before April 1,  2009   2011  , and  annually  each April 1 yearly thereafter, the CWIB shall report to the Legislature on the status of GCJC activities  , grants awarded,  and its development  and   implementation  of a green workforce strategic initiative.  (b) The GCJC shall also consult with the appropriate state and local agencies to identify opportunities to coordinate the award of grant and green workforce training funds received by the state under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) or any other funding sources.