Existing law establishes the California Workforce Investment Board (State WIB) to assist the Governor in the development, oversight, and improvement of the state workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce systems, as specified. Existing law also establishes local workforce investment boards to assist in the planning, oversight, and evaluation of local workforce investment.

Existing law establishes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to be administered by the State WIB. The program awards grants on a competitive basis to counties that propose a project that provides, at a minimum, an education and training assessment for persons who are on probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision and are supervised by, or under the jurisdiction of, a county. Existing law establishes criteria for the grant program, including that the education and training needs of both individuals who have some postsecondary education, and those who require basic education and training, are addressed. Existing law requires each project proposed in the application for a grant to include a provision for an education and training assessment for each individual of the supervised population who participates in the project, and provides that a prior assessment of an individual may be used if, in the determination of the State WIB, its results are accurate. Existing law requires grant recipients to report to the State WIB, at least annually and upon completion of the grant period, regarding their use of the funds and workforce training program outcomes. Existing law requires, by January 1, 2018, the State WIB to submit a report to the Legislature using the reports from the grant recipients, and requires the report to contain specified information.

This bill would revise the criteria for the grant program by authorizing a grant applicant to address the education and training needs of individuals who have some postsecondary education, or individuals who require basic education and training, or individuals in both categories. The bill would authorize the State WIB to delegate the responsibility for determining the sufficiency of a prior assessment to one or more local workforce investment boards. The bill would also require the report to the Legislature to include a discussion of the education and workforce readiness of the supervised population at the time individual participants entered the program and how this impacted the types of services needed and offered, and whether the metrics used to evaluate the individual grants were sufficiently aligned with the objectives of the program. The bill would also include a statement of legislative findings and declarations.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law establishes the California Workforce Investment Board (State WIB) to assist the Governor in the development, oversight, and improvement of the state workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce systems, as specified. Existing law also establishes local workforce investment boards to assist in the planning, oversight, and evaluation of local workforce investment.

Existing law establishes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to be administered by the State WIB. The program awards grants on a competitive basis to counties that propose a project that provides, at a minimum, an education and training assessment for persons who are on probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision and are supervised by, or under the jurisdiction of, a county. Existing law establishes criteria for the grant program, including that the education and training needs of both individuals who have some postsecondary education, and those who require basic education and training, are addressed. Existing law requires each project proposed in the application for a grant to include a provision for an education and training assessment for each individual of the supervised population who participates in the project, and provides that a prior assessment of an individual may be used if, in the determination of the State WIB, its results are accurate. Existing law requires grant recipients to report to the State WIB, at least annually and upon completion of the grant period, regarding their use of the funds and workforce training program outcomes. Existing law requires, by January 1, 2018, the State WIB to submit a report to the Legislature using the reports from the grant recipients, and requires the report to contain specified information.

This bill would revise the criteria for the grant program by authorizing a grant applicant to address the education and training needs of individuals who have some postsecondary education, or individuals who require basic education and training, or individuals in both categories. The bill would authorize the State WIB to delegate the responsibility for determining the sufficiency of a prior assessment to one or more local workforce investment boards. The bill would also require the report to the Legislature to include a discussion of the education and workforce readiness of the supervised population at the time individual participants entered the program and how this impacted the types of services needed and offered, and whether the metrics used to evaluate the individual grants were sufficiently aligned with the objectives of the program. The bill would also include a statement of legislative findings and declarations.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law establishes the California Workforce Investment Board (State WIB) to assist the Governor in the development, oversight, and improvement of the state workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce systems, as specified. Existing law also establishes local workforce investment boards to assist in the planning, oversight, and evaluation of local workforce investment.

Existing law establishes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to be administered by the California Workforce Investment Board. The program awards grants on a competitive basis to counties that propose a project that provides, at a minimum, an education and training assessment for persons who are on probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision and are supervised by, or under the jurisdiction of, a county. Existing law establishes criteria for the grant program, including that the education and training needs of both individuals who have some postsecondary education, and those who require basic education and training, are addressed. Existing law requires each project proposed in the application for a grant to include a provision for an education and training assessment for each individual of the supervised population who participates in the project, and provides that a prior assessment of an individual may be used if, in the determination of the State WIB, its results are accurate. Existing law requires grant recipients to report to the State WIB, at least annually and upon completion of the grant period, regarding their use of the funds and workforce training program outcomes. Existing law requires, by January 1, 2018, the State WIB to submit a report to the Legislature using the reports from the grant recipients, and requires the report to contain specified information.

This bill would revise the criteria for the grant program by authorizing a grant applicant to address the education and training needs of individuals who have some postsecondary education, or individuals who require basic education and training, or individuals in both categories. The bill would authorize the State WIB to delegate the responsibility for determining the sufficiency of a prior assessment to one or more local workforce investment boards. The bill would also require the report to the Legislature to include a discussion of the education and workforce readiness of the supervised population at the time individual participants entered the program and how this impacted the types of services needed and offered, and whether the metrics used to evaluate the individual grants were sufficiently aligned with the objectives of the program. The bill would also include a statement of legislative findings and declarations.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

 THIRD READING 

Bill No: AB 1093

Author: Eduardo Garcia (D)

Introduced: 2/27/15

Vote: 27 - Urgency

SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/16/15

AYES: Hancock, Anderson, Glazer, Leno, Liu, Monning, Stone

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/7/15 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Public safety: supervised population workforce training: grant program

SOURCE: California Workforce Association

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice

PolicyLink

DIGEST: This bill makes minor modifications to the criteria for the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program administered by the Workforce Investment Board, as specified.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. States that California Workforce Investment Board (“WIB”) is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. (Unemp. Ins. Code, § 14010.)

2. Establishes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to be administered by the WIB. (Pen. Code, § 1234.1.)

3. Requires the WIB to administer the grant program as follows:

1. Develop criteria for the selection of grant recipients through a public application process, including the rating and ranking of applications that meet threshold criteria; and

2. Design the grant program application process to ensure all of the following occurs:

1. Outreach and technical assistance is made available to eligible counties;

2. There is fairness and competitiveness for all counties, including for smaller and rural counties;

3. It encourages applicants to develop evidence-based, best practices to serve the target population; and,

4. It addresses the education and training needs of both individuals with some postsecondary education who can benefit from services that result in certifications, and placement on a middle skill career ladder, and individuals who require basic education and training to obtain entry level jobs. (Pen. Code § 1234.2.)

4. Requires the grant program to be competitively awarded through at least two rounds of funding, as specified, and provides that each county is eligible to apply but that a single application may include multiple counties applying jointly. Requires each application to include a partnership agreement between the county, or counties, and one or more local workforce investment boards that outline the actions each party agrees to undertake as part of the project proposed in the application. (Pen. Code § 1234.3.)

5. Requires, at a minimum, each project proposed in the application to include a provision for an education and training assessment for each individual of the supervised population who participates in the project. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (c).)

6. Provides that eligible uses of grant funds include, but are not limited to, vocational training, stipends for trainees, and apprenticeship opportunities for the supervised population. Current law further states that supportive services and job readiness activities are to serve as bridge activities that lead to enrollment in long-term training programs. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (d).)

7. Requires the WIB to report to the Legislature the outcomes from the grant program, as specified. (Pen. Code, § 1234.4.)

This bill:

1. Revises the criteria described above to allow applicants to address either the education and training needs of individuals with some postsecondary education, or individuals who require basic education and training to obtain entry level jobs, instead of requiring the applicants to serve both education needs.

2. Authorizes the WIB to delegate the responsibility for determining the sufficiency of a prior assessment to one or more local workforce investment boards.

3. Expands the content of the report to be given to the Legislature evaluating the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to include the following:

1. The education and workforce readiness of the supervised population at the time individual participants entered the program and how this impacted the types of services needed and offered; and

2. Whether the metrics used to evaluate the individual grants were sufficiently aligned with the objectives of the program.

4. Includes uncodified legislative findings and declarations concerning the importance of job training for formerly incarcerated persons, as specified.

Background

The WIB is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. The WIB administers the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program, a program to award grant funding for vocational training and apprenticeship opportunities for offenders under county jurisdiction who are on probation, mandatory community supervision, or post-release community supervision. This bill makes various minor technical changes to the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program in the WIB.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/30/15)

California Workforce Association (co-source)

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (co-source)

PolicyLink (co-source)

California Edge Coalition

California Public Defenders Association

National Center for Youth Law

Office of the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools

REDF

Root & Rebound

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/30/15)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT:

The author states:

With orders from the U.S. Supreme Court to reduce its prison population, the state needs smart, effective policies to help local jurisdictions achieve realignment goals and reduce recidivism. Workforce development for the re-entry population is a practical strategy for improving access to a stable job. It helps improve offender outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote community safety and stability. AB 1093 makes key program changes to the 2014 bill [AB 2060 (V. Manuel Perez)].

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/7/15

AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Atkins

NO VOTE RECORDED: Campos, Roger Hernández, Steinorth

Prepared by: Alison Anderson / PUB. S. /

7/2/15 8:48:09

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Senator Loni Hancock, Chair

2015 - 2016 Regular

Bill No: AB 1093 Hearing Date: June 16, 2015

Subject: Public Safety: Supervised Population Workforce Training: Grant Program

HISTORY

Source: California Workforce Association (co-source)

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (co-source)

PolicyLink (co-source)

Prior Legislation: AB 2060 (V.M. Perez), Chapter 383, Statutes of 2014

Support: California Edge Coalition; California Public Defenders Association; National Center for Youth Law; Office of the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools;

REDF; Root & Rebound

Opposition: None Known

Assembly Floor Vote: 77 - 0

PURPOSE

The purpose of this bill is to make minor modifications to the criteria for the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program administered by the Workforce Investment Board, as specified.

Current law states that California Workforce Investment Board (“WIB”) is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. (Unemp. Ins. Code, § 14010.)

Current law establishes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to be administered by the WIB. (Pen. Code, § 1234.1.)

Current law requires WIB to administer the grant program as follows:

1. Develop criteria for the selection of grant recipients through a public application process, including the rating and ranking of applications that meet threshold criteria; and

2. Design the grant program application process to ensure all of the following occurs:

a) Outreach and technical assistance is made available to eligible counties;

b) There is fairness and competitiveness for all counties, including for smaller and rural counties;

c) It encourages applicants to develop evidence-based, best practices to serve the target population; and,

d) It addresses the education and training needs of both individuals with some postsecondary education who can benefit from services that result in certifications, and placement on a middle skill career ladder, and individuals who require basic education and training to obtain entry level jobs. (Pen. Code § 1234.2.)

This bill would revise the criteria described above to allow applicants to address either the education and training needs of individuals with some postsecondary education, or individuals who require basic education and training to obtain entry level jobs, instead of requiring the applicants to serve both education needs.

Current law requires the grant program to be competitively awarded through at least two rounds of funding, as specified, and provides that each county is eligible to apply but that a single application may include multiple counties applying jointly. Requires each application to include a partnership agreement between the county, or counties, and one or more local workforce investment boards that outline the actions each party agrees to undertake as part of the project proposed in the application. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3.)

Current law requires, at a minimum, each project proposed in the application to include a provision for an education and training assessment for each individual of the supervised population who participates in the project. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (c).)

This bill would authorize the WIB to delegate the responsibility for determining the sufficiency of a prior assessment to one or more local workforce investment boards.

Current law provides that eligible uses of grant funds include, but are not limited to, vocational training, stipends for trainees, and apprenticeship opportunities for the supervised population. Current law further states that supportive services and job readiness activities are to serve as bridge activities that lead to enrollment in long-term training programs. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (d).)

Current law requires the WIB to report to the Legislature the outcomes from the grant program, as specified. (Pen. Code, § 1234.4.)

This bill would expand the content of the report to be given to the Legislature evaluating the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to include the following:

1. The education and workforce readiness of the supervised population at the time individual participants entered the program and how this impacted the types of services needed and offered; and

2) Whether the metrics used to evaluate the individual grants were sufficiently aligned

with the objectives of the program.

This bill includes uncodified legislative findings and declarations concerning the importance of job training for formerly incarcerated persons, as specified.

RECEIVERSHIP/OVERCROWDING CRISIS AGGRAVATION

For the past eight years, this Committee has scrutinized legislation referred to its jurisdiction for any potential impact on prison overcrowding. Mindful of the United States Supreme Court ruling and federal court orders relating to the state’s ability to provide a constitutional level of health care to its inmate population and the related issue of prison overcrowding, this Committee has applied its “ROCA” policy as a content-neutral, provisional measure necessary to ensure that the Legislature does not erode progress in reducing prison overcrowding.

On February 10, 2014, the federal court ordered California to reduce its in-state adult institution population to 137.5% of design capacity by February 28, 2016, as follows:

• 143% of design bed capacity by June 30, 2014;

• 141.5% of design bed capacity by February 28, 2015; and,

• 137.5% of design bed capacity by February 28, 2016.

In February of this year the administration reported that as “of February 11, 2015, 112,993 inmates were housed in the State’s 34 adult institutions, which amounts to 136.6% of design bed capacity, and 8,828 inmates were housed in out-of-state facilities. This current population is now below the court-ordered reduction to 137.5% of design bed capacity.”( Defendants’ February 2015 Status Report In Response To February 10, 2014 Order, 2:90-cv-00520 KJM DAD PC, 3-Judge Court, Coleman v. Brown, Plata v. Brown (fn. omitted).

While significant gains have been made in reducing the prison population, the state now must stabilize these advances and demonstrate to the federal court that California has in place the “durable solution” to prison overcrowding “consistently demanded” by the court. (Opinion Re: Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Defendants’ Request For Extension of December 31, 2013 Deadline, NO. 2:90-cv-0520 LKK DAD (PC), 3-Judge Court, Coleman v. Brown, Plata v. Brown (2-10-14). The Committee’s consideration of bills that may impact the prison population therefore will be informed by the following questions:

• Whether a proposal erodes a measure which has contributed to reducing the prison population;

• Whether a proposal addresses a major area of public safety or criminal activity for which there is no other reasonable, appropriate remedy;

• Whether a proposal addresses a crime which is directly dangerous to the physical safety of others for which there is no other reasonably appropriate sanction;

• Whether a proposal corrects a constitutional problem or legislative drafting error; and

• Whether a proposal proposes penalties which are proportionate, and cannot be achieved through any other reasonably appropriate remedy.

COMMENTS

1. Stated Need for This Bill

The author states:

With orders from the U.S. Supreme Court to reduce its prison population, the state needs smart, effective policies to help local jurisdictions achieve realignment goals and reduce recidivism. Workforce development for the re-entry population is a practical strategy for improving access to a stable job. It helps improve offender outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote community safety and stability. AB 1093 makes key program changes to the 2014 bill [AB 2060 (V. Manuel Perez)].

2. Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program

The WIB is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. The WIB administers the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program, a program to award grant funding for vocational training and apprenticeship opportunities for offenders under county jurisdiction who are on probation, mandatory community supervision, or post-release community supervision. This bill makes various minor technical changes to the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program in the WIB.

-- END –

Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Jimmy Gomez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1093

Author:(Eduardo Garcia) – As Introduced Ver:February 27, 2015

Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill makes various minor technical changes to the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program, in the California Workforce Investment Board (WIB).

FISCAL EFFECT:

Minor absorbable cost to the WIB.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author, "With orders from the U.S. Supreme Court to reduce its prison population, the state needs smart, effective policies to help local jurisdictions achieve realignment goals and reduce recidivism. Workforce development for the re-entry population is a practical strategy for improving access to a stable job. It helps improve offender outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote community safety and stability. This bill makes key program changes to the 2014 bill [AB 2060 (V. Manuel Pérez, Chapter 383, Statutes of 2014)]."

2. Background. The WIB is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. The WIB administers the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program, a program to award grant funding for vocational training and apprenticeship opportunities for offenders under county jurisdiction who are on probation, mandatory community supervision, or post-release community supervision.

3. Support. According to the California Workforce Association, a co-sponsor of this bill, "AB 1093 makes technical changes to a 2014 bill, AB 2060 (V.M. Perez), which established this essential program. Workforce development for the re-entry population is a practical approach that will improve offender outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote community safety, and for these reasons we support this important effort."

4. Prior Legislation. AB 2060 (V.M. Perez), Chapter 383, Statutes of 2014, established the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program.

Analysis Prepared by: Pedro Reyes / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 14, 2015

Counsel: Sandra Uribe

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Bill Quirk, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1093

Author:(Eduardo Garcia) – As Introduced Ver:February 27, 2015

SUMMARY:

Modifies the criteria for the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to allow grant applicants to address the education and training needs of people who have some postsecondary education or individuals who require basic education, or people in both categories. Specifically, this bill:

1. Contains legislative findings and declarations about the importance of workforce training for the reentry population.
   
   

2. Revises program criteria to allow applicants to address either the education and training needs of individuals with some postsecondary education, or individuals who require basic education and training to obtain entry level jobs, instead of requiring the applicants to serve both education needs.
   
   

3. Authorizes the California Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to delegate the responsibility for determining the sufficiency of a prior assessment to one or more local workforce investment boards.
   
   

4. Expands the content of the report to be given to the Legislature evaluating the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to include the following:
   
   

   1. The education and workforce readiness of the supervised population at the time individual participants entered the program and how this impacted the types of services needed and offered; and,
      
      

   2. Whether the metrics used to evaluate the individual grants were sufficiently aligned with the objectives of the program.
      
      

5. Contains an urgency clause requiring the provisions of the bill to take effect immediately.

EXISTING LAW:

1. States that WIB is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California’s workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. (Unemp. Ins. Code, § 14010.)
   
   

2. Establishes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program to be administered by the WIB. (Pen. Code, § 1234.1.)
   
   

3. Requires WIB to administer the grant program as follows:
   
   

   1. Develop criteria for the selection of grant recipients through a public application process, including the rating and ranking of applications that meet threshold criteria; and
      
      

   2. Design the grant program application process to ensure all of the following occurs:
      
      

      1. Outreach and technical assistance is made available to eligible counties;
         
         

      2. There is fairness and competitiveness for all counties, including for smaller and rural counties;
         
         

      3. It encourages applicants to develop evidence-based, best practices to serve the target population; and,
         
         

      4. It addresses the education and training needs of both individuals with some postsecondary education who can benefit from services that result in certifications, and placement on a middle skill career ladder, and individuals who require basic education and training to obtain entry level jobs. (Pen. Code, § 1234.2.)
         
         

4. Requires the grant program to be competitively awarded through at least two rounds of funding, as specified, and provides that each county is eligible to apply but that a single application may include multiple counties applying jointly. Requires each application to include a partnership agreement between the county, or counties, and one or more local workforce investment boards that outline the actions each party agrees to undertake as part of the project proposed in the application. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3.)
   
   

5. Requires, at a minimum, each project proposed in the application to include a provision for an education and training assessment for each individual of the supervised population who participates in the project. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (c).)
   
   

6. Provides that eligible uses of grant funds include, but are not limited to, vocational training, stipends for trainees, and apprenticeship opportunities for the supervised population. States that supportive services and job readiness activities are to serve as bridge activities that lead to enrollment in long-term training programs. (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (d).)
   
   

7. Requires the WIB to report to the Legislature the outcomes from the grant program, as specified. (Pen. Code, § 1234.4.)
   
   

8. Repeals the grant program on January 1, 2021, unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends that date. (Pen. Code, § 1234.5.)

FISCAL EFFECT:

Unknown

COMMENTS:

1. Author's Statement: According to the author, "With orders from the U.S. Supreme Court to reduce its prison population, the state needs smart, effective policies to help local jurisdictions achieve realignment goals and reduce recidivism. Workforce development for the re-entry population is a practical strategy for improving access to a stable job. It helps improve offender outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote community safety and stability. This bill makes key program changes to the 2014 bill [AB 2060 9V. Manuel Perez)]."
   
   

2. Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program: In the Solicitation for Proposals, the WIB describes the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program as follows:
   
   "The California Workforce Investment Board (State Board) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) are pleased to announce the availability of up to $825,000 in Recidivism Reduction Funds to implement and support recidivism reduction workforce training and development programs targeting the supervised population. The supervised population includes all persons who are on probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision as defined in AB 2060 (Chapter 383, Statutes of 2014) and codified in Penal Code Section 1234(c) and are supervised by, or are under the jurisdiction of, a county. The State Board and EDD will fund proposals that will expand existing, mature collaborative relationships between county based Community Corrections Partnerships (parole, probation, courts, mental health services, community colleges, etc.) and Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIB) in support of innovative strategies that accelerate educational attainment and reemployment for the supervised population by:
   
   

• Increasing labor market and skills outcomes through the development of strategies that fill gaps, accelerate processes, or customize services to ensure greater access to workforce services and employment opportunities.

• Implementing promising new modes and practices in workforce system delivery infrastructure and funding alignment that can be replicated across the State and tailored to regional needs.

• Leveraging State investment with commitments from industry, labor, public, and community partners.

"In addition, the State Board will fund proposals that further advance the goals of California’s Strategic Workforce Development Plan 2013‐2017 ‐ 'Shared Strategy for a Shared Prosperity' (Strategic Plan) prioritizes regional coordination among key partners, sector-based employment strategies, skill attainment through earn and learn and other effective training models (including, but not limited to apprenticeship), and development of career pathways."

(http://www.cwib.ca.gov/res/docs/AB2060/AB%202060%20SFP%2070001%20FINAL-TR.pdf .)

The grant applications were due to the WIB on April 3, 2015. The WIB has informed this committee that it intends to award the first round of funding by the statutorily mandated deadline of May 1, 2015. (See Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (a).) So, despite having an urgency clause, the revised criteria proposed by this bill will be too late to affect these award grants.

However, the grant program anticipated "at least two rounds of funding." (Pen. Code, § 1234.3, subd. (a).) Thus, the revised criteria could be implemented for the second round of solicitation for proposals.

3. State Strategy on Employment of Former Offenders: The federal Workforce Investment Act requires the Governor, through WIB, to submit a State Strategic Workforce Development Plan (State Plan) to the U.S. Department of Labor. This plan outlines a five-year strategy for the investment of federal workforce training and employment services funds. With respect to services to former offenders, WIB states the following:
   
   

The State Board has leveraged the [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)] expertise to help Local Boards obtain additional funding from “realignment” funds allocated to counties. A workshop was conducted by the California Workforce Association, which included CDCR and Local Board staff sharing knowledge about realignment and funding so that Local Boards might be in a better position to engage their counties in seeking funding to serve this new “realigned” population.

The State Board will continue to work closely with CDCR and Local Boards to encourage and develop innovative services for the ex-offender population.

With Policy Link and the National Employment Law Project (NELP), the State Board is helping convene Local Boards, to ensure formally incarcerated individuals have access to quality employment services. The State Board also worked with EDD and NELP to develop a directive to ensure that Local Boards comply with nondiscrimination obligations when serving individuals with criminal records. http://edd.ca.gov/Jobs_and_Training/pubs/wsd12-9.pdf.

Consistent with Adults Goal Objective 1, Action 2; the State Board will work with the Local Boards to identify in their Local Plan strategies they will utilize to identify and remove barriers hampering their investment of WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds in [career technical education] programs to the ex-offender population in their areas.

(Shared Strategy for a Shared Prosperity: California’s Strategic Workforce Development Plan 2013 – 2017, Services to State Target Populations, pp. 10-7 & 10-8, <http://www.cwib.ca.gov/res/docs/state_plans/Final%20Approved%20State%20Plan/12%20Chapter%20X%20Services%20to%20State%20Target%20Populations.pdf> [as of Apr. 2, 2014].)

4. Argument in Support: According to the California Workforce Association, a co-sponsor of this bill, "AB 1093 makes technical changes to a 2014 bill, AB 2060 (V.M. Perez), which established this essential program. Workforce development for the re-entry population is a practical approach that will improve offender outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote community safety, and for these reasons we support this important effort.
   
   "The California Workforce Association is an organization comprised of the 49 Local Workforce Investment Boards and America’s Job Centers of California that work closely with adults, dislocated workers and at-risk youth to ensure they have the skills and training required for jobs needed by businesses. Last program year, CWA’s members served 1.2 million customers and over 60,000 businesses.
   
   "CWA is co-sponsoring AB 1093 because job training for post-release individuals is one of the most critical actions the state can take to help ensure that former offenders successfully transition into their communities. Local Workforce Investment Boards and America’s Job Centers of California specialize in working with individuals who have the biggest barriers to employment, including ex-offenders. Without the essential tools these entities provide, former offenders are more likely to return to their old ways of life and increase their odds of reoffending."
   
   

5. Prior Legislation: AB 2060 (V.M. Perez), Chapter 383, Statutes of 2014, established the Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Workforce Association (Co-Sponsor)
Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (Co-Sponsor)
Policy Link (Co-Sponsor)
California Public Defenders Association

Opposition

None

Analysis Prepared by:

Sandy Uribe / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744