BILL NUMBER: AB 2156INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Levine FEBRUARY 17, 2016 An act to add Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 99070) to Part 65 of Division 14 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2156, as introduced, Levine. Public postsecondary education: higher education regional workforce coordination. Under existing law, the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, and the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, are 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. This bill would require the California State University (CSU), and request the University of California (UC), to participate in regional conversations pursuant to the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The bill would require CSU, and request UC, to submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2018, on specified topics related to regional workforce demands. 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 that, in order to meet the demands of today's regionally based economy, all of California's institutions of higher education must be involved in geographic workforce development initiatives that seek to align our education system with regional workforce needs. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature for the University of California to continue its mission in educating our state's top students and offering the highest quality of professional degrees, and for the California State University to continue its mission in educating the bulk of our state's undergraduate students. SEC. 2. Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 99070) is added to Part 65 of Division 14 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read: CHAPTER 1.7. HIGHER EDUCATION REGIONAL WORKFORCE COORDINATION 99070. The California State University shall, and the University of California is requested to, participate in regional conversations pursuant to the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The California State University shall, and the University of California is requested to, submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2018, on both of the following: (a) Efforts they have made to increase the number of degrees in order to meet regional labor demands. (b) Identify barriers to addressing regional workforce demands and the progress that is needed to overcome these barriers.