BILL NUMBER: AB 3INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member V. Manuel Perez DECEMBER 1, 2008 An act to add Section 399.25 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 3, as introduced, V. Manuel Perez. Energy: renewable energy workforce readiness program. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission is vested with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. The Public Utilities Act imposes various duties and responsibilities on the commission with respect to the purchase of electricity by electrical corporations and requires the commission to review and adopt a procurement plan and a renewable energy procurement plan for each electrical corporation pursuant to the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program. The program requires that a retail seller of electricity, including electrical corporations, purchase a specified minimum percentage of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, in any given year as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to retail end-use customers each calendar year (renewables portfolio standard). This bill would require the commission, by January 1, 2011, to establish a Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Program to ensure green collar career placement and advancement opportunities within California's renewable energy manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, and operation sectors that is targeted towards specified populations. The program would award training grants, on a competitive basis, to implement and operate renewable energy worker training and education programs in the state. The commission would be required to submit to the Legislature, by January 1, 2012, a report on the implementation of the program. The bill would require the commission to implement the program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, using moneys from an unspecified fund. 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. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) California is fortunate to have some of the finest solar, wind, and geothermal resources in the world, giving California the opportunity to lead the United States in the development of renewable energy technologies and the creation of green collar jobs. (2) A 2006 analysis performed by the Renewable Energy Policy Project looked at the employment gains throughout the United States and found that, of all the 50 states, California has the greatest potential to generate new renewable energy manufacturing activity. (3) The Governor issued Executive Order S-14-08, increased the state's renewable portfolio standard to 33 percent by 2020, positioning California's economy, technology centers, financial institutions, businesses, workers, and consumers to benefit from the state's renewable energy efforts. (4) California's investment in the production of renewable energy and associated infrastructure could be targeted to strengthen sectors and regions of the state economy suffering from high unemployment rates and poverty. (5) Educational institutions, in collaboration with labor and community-based organizations, play a significant role in the progress of renewable energy curriculum and career job placement within emerging renewable energy industries. (6) California's 80th Assembly District is recognized as California's renewable energy zone with the most potential for renewable energy development and also possesses one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. (7) Educational institutions in the 80th Assembly District, such as Imperial Valley College, College of the Desert, Palo Verde Community College, University of California at Riverside, and California State San Bernardino are seeking to establish collaborations with local labor and renewable energy organizations but lack infrastructure, technical assistance, and resources. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish the "California Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Program" in order for educational entities, labor organizations, local governments, and community-based organizations to work collectively to prepare California's youth, military veterans, and workers for the economy of the future. SEC. 2. Section 399.25 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read: 399.25. (a) In furtherance of the requirements of this article, no later than January 1, 2011, the commission, in consultation with other appropriate state agencies, shall establish a Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Program to ensure green collar career placement and advancement opportunities within California's renewable energy manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, and operation sectors. The program shall be targeted at all of the following populations: (1) Low-income and disadvantaged populations. (2) At-risk youth. (3) Formerly incarcerated nonviolent offenders. (4) Displaced and incumbent workers in transition. (5) Veterans of past or present military service. (b) The Renewable Energy Workforce Readiness Program shall award workforce training grants, on a competitive basis, to applicants that can identify and involve target worker populations and demonstrate the ability to implement and operate renewable energy worker training and education programs in California. Eligible applicants include any of the following entities: (1) Nonprofit organizations. (2) Local governments. (3) Labor organizations. (4) Community colleges. (5) Postsecondary educational institutions. (6) Local workforce training partnerships and collaboratives. (c) In evaluating an application for a grant, the commission shall assign higher priority to an application that satisfies one or more of the following criteria: (1) Serves individuals in families with incomes less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level. (2) Includes collaboration with community-based nonprofit organizations, labor organizations, and educational institutions with expertise in serving low-income adults or youth. (3) Links adult remedial education with occupational skills training. (4) Ensures that supportive services are integrated with education and training, and delivered by organizations with direct access to and experience with targeted populations. (5) Involves employers and labor organizations in the determination of relevant skills and competencies, ensuring that the certificates or credentials that result from the training are recognized by employers and labor organizations. (6) Leverages additional public and private resources to fund readiness programs, including cash or in-kind matches from participating employers, nonprofits, or labor organizations. (d) The commission shall collect and analyze labor market data, track workforce trends, document academic and occupational competencies, identify future skill needs, promote and support local workforce training initiatives, and provide technical assistance and capacity building to energy partnerships and apprenticeship training programs, related to renewable energy and workforce development in California. (e) No later than January 1, 2012, the commission shall report to the Legislature on the implementation of this section. The report shall include a description of the entities receiving funding, the activities carried out by these entities, and an assessment of the results achieved by the program. (f) The commission shall implement this section using moneys, appropriated by the Legislature, from the fund established pursuant to Section ____.