Assembly Standing Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy

All right, here we go. Good morning. We'll start this meeting. Welcome to this meeting, Assembly JEDE Committee hearing. We'll start this as a Subcommittee, to ensure members of the media and the public have access to our proceedings today. This hearing will be streamed on the Assembly website, and members of the public can provide testimony in person, here, in Room 127. All witnesses testimony will be in person. There will be no phone call testimony options for this hearing. If any members of the public in the room would like to testify on the bill, I will ask you to approach the microphone at the appropriate time, to preserve the safety of everyone here.

To ensure the public access to discussions, please follow the directions of our sergeants. Today, we have five bills on the agenda. The following bill on consent -- the consent items -- are file item number 4, SCR 24, by Senator Bradford, to be adopted and amended. File item number 5, SCR 57, by Portantino, to be adopted. We will allow primary witnesses here in the room, today, to speak for two minutes each, two primary witnesses per side. Any additional witness will be limited to either name, organization they represent, and the position of the bill.

We're going to begin the hearing, again, as a Subcommittee. With that, I don't have a quorum and we're not going to move for -- I'm going to jump right into agenda number 2, SB 447 by Atkins. I see the Senator pro Tem, Atkins. Senator, when you're ready, you can start. I also see former Speaker. Thank you for being here.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. And I appreciate very much the opportunity to present SB 447. This bill will lift the travel ban, and create in its place, the Bridge Project, a nonpartisan marketing program that could be used in other states to emphasize the value of inclusion and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Before I talk about where the Bridge Project could take us, I want to provide just a little bit of context about what it seeks to change, and why I think that is needed. As you know, back in 2016, we passed AB 1887, the travel ban, which prevents state-funded travel to places with anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The travel ban had a meaningful impact, particularly early in its implementation.

AB 1887 helped raise awareness, regarding LGBTQ+ discrimination, and even gave states like North Carolina and Georgia some pause about their discriminatory laws. Unfortunately, in the years since the travel ban's passage, states have continued to enact discriminatory laws, and the list of banned states has ballooned to 23. In many instances, the travel ban has inadvertently caused California to isolate its services and citizens in a time when we are leading the nation in ensuring inclusivity and freedoms.

Researchers, many of whom are seeking to analyze and shed light on the discrimination in states subject to the travel ban, are unable to use state funds to travel to those states for study, or to present their findings to others in their field. Several state university athletic programs also have had to adjust to AB 1887 and secure private funds for out-of-state travel. And then there's the impact on California's efforts to be a beacon of reproductive freedom and help those in other states obtain care.

SB 447 rethinks our approach. It would lift the current travel ban and put in its place the Bridge Project, building and reinforcing inclusive, diverse, gender-supportive equality. The intent of the Bridge Project is to target audiences in states that have established discriminatory laws, with compelling messaging regarding anti-discrimination, to open hearts and minds, and to help the LGBTQ+ folks in other states feel less isolated and alone.

With nearly 500 plus anti LGBTQ+ bills having been introduced in the legislatures nationwide, this year alone, now more than ever, we need to reach into those communities with messages of support, inclusivity and understanding, to bridge the divisiveness that is tearing us apart. One thing that is very important to note, the bill prohibits Bridge Project marketing campaigns from promoting a political purpose or featuring any elected official or candidate for elected office. It will focus on issues, not politics -- messages to encourage kindness, compassion, and peace.

I've had several positive conversations with other legislators and advocates who supported AB 1887, and who agree it's time to lift the ban and replace it with a new approach. These discussions are ongoing. I look forward to working with stakeholders, as this continues to move through the process in the Assembly, now. Colleagues, SB 447, the Bridge Project, is the positive approach and the positive tool that California needs. And it's a positive message that the rest of the nation needs to see, hear, and I think, feel. I would ask for your aye vote, and Mr. Chairman, with your permission, here to testify today in support are John A. Perez, UC Regent and former Speaker of the Assembly -- he is the Speaker Emeritus -- and Craig Pulsipher, who is the Legislative Director of Equality California.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the Senate President pro Tem said, I'm John Perez. I'm the Speaker Emeritus of the Assembly and Regent of the University of California. But as it relates to this bill, it's also important to note that I'm the author of the original legislation creating Go-Biz, through which the Bridge Project would operate. It is nice to be back here, and I appreciate the opportunity to join Senate President pro Tem Atkins and speak about her SB 447. As a regent, I know that the UC respects the original goals of the travel ban and the issues underlying SB 447.

That said, the travel ban has proposed a range of challenges. University personnel have had to make difficult decisions to avoid students, faculty and staff, traveling to targeted states, even when their professional or academic pursuits necessitated that travel. This has led to bureaucratic shell games, with extraneous efforts being made to ensure that even the most basic costs are not covered by state or institutional funds. The UC is aware of circumstances where the university could pay for a prospective faculty member we were trying to recruit to travel to California, but then could only pay for a return flight to an adjacent state, because the recruit's home state was on the banned list. In 2021, UCLA qualified for the Sweet 16, being held in Memphis that year.

UCLA's men's basketball leadership was able to locate non-state funds, and noted that they would not deny our student athletes the right to participate in postseason play, but not every athletic program at our state universities has that ability. Similarly, numerous students and faculty had learning and advancement opportunities curtailed by the ban.

And not all faculty and students have been able to raise or access private, non-state funds to allow for them to pursue their academic endeavors. As a regent, and as a member of the LGBT community, I know that SB 447 would allow our universities to continue their important work, while also providing a way to reach into states passing cruel anti-LGBTQ laws, with a strong message of inclusion and support. I ask for your aye vote.

Thank you.

Good morning, Chair and members. Craig Pulsipher on behalf of Equality California, proud to be here today in support of SB 447. In 2016, Equality California was proud to co-sponsor AB 1887 by Assembly Member Evan Low, which banned nonessential state-funded travel to states that discriminate against LGBTQ people. As the pro Tem noted, California's travel ban served an important purpose at the time, sending a clear message that taxpayer dollars would not be used to fund bigotry and hatred. Unfortunately, we're now witnessing attacks on the LGBTQ community across this country like never before. Nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced this year alone, the majority of which target trans youth and their access to life saving medical care.

It's time for a new approach and to be even more proactive about combating anti-LGBTQ policies in other states. We're grateful to the pro Tem for bringing this bill forward, which will repeal the state's travel ban and establish a new program in its place, to help spread inclusive messaging in states with anti-LGBTQ laws. The Bridge Project is an innovative approach to help bridge the divide in our nation, and show support for LGBTQ people across the country.

Importantly, the bill would require Go-Biz to convene an advisory committee, to help develop and evaluate the content of all media campaigns, including members of the LGBTQ community, marketing professionals, and researchers. We know that personal stories are essential to changing hearts and minds, and putting a program in place to infuse inclusive, positive messages in other states is an important way that California can help spread its values. Equality California is proud to support SB 447 and respectfully request your aye vote.

Thank you. We'll move to see if there's any other witness in the room in support.

Good morning, Mr. Chair and members Satinder Malhi here on behalf of the California State University Chancellor's Office in support. Thank you.

Thank you. I see none. We'll now move to opposition if there's anyone in opposition in the room.

Chair and members, Senator, good to see you. Lance Christensen with the California Policy Center. It's interesting to watch a bill, that was so vigorously supported here years ago, be pretty much repealed and taken away because of discriminatory action. And now, we're going to go and create a whole other bureaucracy in the state of California. It's going to have massive costs going down the line, and unfunded liabilities will increase. The state of California is right now, about $1 trillion ... liabilities. And to create a new bureaucracy to fund something that a lot of these advocates could do on their own dimes, or with other money would be, I think, far more appropriate. For those reasons, we oppose the bill. Thank you.

Okay, I see no one else in the room that would like to come up and speak. With that, any questions from committee members?

Less of a question, more of a comment. Just want to thank the author and sponsors for bringing this forward. Look forward to supporting it when the time is appropriate.

I see no one else. Senator, would you like to close?

Thank you. I would say we purposely went with Go-Biz because we're not creating a new bureaucracy. This is a donation-driven program. We understand the financial situation of California -- feel certain that we'll be able to raise funds to do this, separate, and just respectfully appreciate your support.

Well, I want to thank the Senator pro Tem Atkins, for bringing this bill forward. I support raising public awareness and promoting civil rights and anti-discrimination through education, advertising, and marketing, activities through Bridge Project. Right now, Senator, we don't have a quorum, so we'll keep the roll open.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Yeah. We're moving on to agenda number 1, SB 418 by Senator Padilla. I see -- when you're ready, Senator.

Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members. Thank you. It's my pleasure to present SB 418, which would create the Prison Redevelopment Commission and direct this commission to provide California with detailed strategy to convert closed prisons into local assets that are responsive to the needs and conditions of local communities.

In the last decade, the voters have enacted sweeping and appropriate sentencing reforms in the state of California, and as a result, state's prison population has declined, and we no longer need the prison beds and capital infrastructure that we did at one time. We are in the process of closing several prisons, including Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in my district. Many of our prisons are located in rural communities, which rely upon prisons for employment, local economies, and access to infrastructure, including health care.

Closing these in these communities have far reaching consequences for economic and physical well being of these communities. My bill is modeled after a commission in the state of New York. When facing similar challenges of closing prisons, established their own redevelopment commission. This bill would provide specific slots on the 15-member board that would represent expertise in real estate, economic development, environmental and economic justice matters -- would include representatives of the labor community, representatives of the bargaining groups that are employed and most impacted by the changes.

This bill would create a commission that would provide analysis, recommendations and reporting to the legislature, within a discrete period of time, and assure that these communities that are most affected by these closures actually have a voice in looking at the future potential uses of this infrastructure and these assets -- in a way that could provide economic benefits to the community. The bill has had no no votes. I don't have a witness with me this morning. It's been a crazy week. But I would be happy to answer and would respectfully request an aye vote.

Okay. With that, we'll move to see if there's anyone in the room in support of SB 418.

Yes, Mr. Chair Members. My name is Mary Ann Warmerdam. I represent Rural County Representatives of California, home to many of those prisons that the senator mentioned, and we support the measure.

Good morning, Mr. Chair and members. I'm Elizabeth Espinosa, here on behalf of the Board of Supervisors in the County of Riverside. Also in support. Thank you.

I see no others. Any in opposition in the room? See none. Let's bring it back to questions and comments from members of the committee.

Senator, I just want to thank you very much for your thoughtfulness on this bill. Would love to be a co-author on it. I am actually jealous I didn't think of it myself, and looking forward to seeing what great ideas come from this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Assembly Member.

Any others? With that, I know you close, but -- you'd like to close-

I would respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Okay. I want to thank Senator Padilla for bringing this bill forward, repurposing the state -- I did do opposition. Yeah, we did. I'll do it again, just for record. Is there any opposition in the room? I see none. Bring it back. Again, I want to thank Senator Padilla for bringing this bill forward, repurposing the state property. And helping our communities adjust to the economic impacts by prison closures is necessary. With that, I did hear a motion, I think by Assembly Member Jackson. Is there a second? There's a second by Assembly Member Wallace. Secretary, can you please call roll.

File item number 1, SB 418, Padilla. Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Moved by Jackson. Second by Wallace. Villapudua. Aye. Hoover. Aye. Haney. Jackson. Aye. Petrie-Norris. Ramos. Wallace. Aye.

Okay, four ayes. Thank you, Senator.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and members.

Yeah. And then now we'll move to -- we're going to take consent calendar, right? Oh, we're going to take quorum first. It looks like we have a quorum here. Secretary, if you could please call roll?

Villapudua. Here. Hoover. Here. Haney. Jackson. Here. Petrie-Norris. Ramos. Wallace. Here.

Okay. Now that we have a quorum, we'll take consent calendar, now. There's a motion and a second.

Okay, consent calendar. File item number 4, SCR 24, Bradford, to be adopted as amended. File item number 5, SCR 57, Portantino, to be adopted. Moved by Jackson. Second by Wallis. Villapudua. Yes. Hoover. Aye. Haney. Jackson. Aye. Petrie-Norris. Ramos. Wallis. Aye.

Motion passes. We are -- okay. We'll take roll call on item number -- item number -- no, right here -- number 2. Yeah. Moving to -- we'll take roll call on agenda item number 2, SB 447. Wallis moves, Jackson seconds.

Okay, file item number 2, SB 447, Atkins. Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Moved by Wallis, second by Jackson. Villapudua. Aye. Hoover. No. Haney. Jackson. Aye. Petrie-Norris. Ramos. Wallis. Aye.

Motion passes, two yeses -- no, wait. We'll keep the roll call open. Yeah. Okay. We're waiting on item number 3.

Yes. Consent calendar. File item 4, SCR 24, Bradford, to be adopted as amended. File item number 5, SCR 57, Portantino, to be adopted. It was moved by Jackson, second by Wallace. Ramos. Aye. Okay, moving on to the file agenda. File item number 1, SB 418, Padilla. Do pass, as amended to Appropriations. Moved by Jackson, second by Wallace. Ramos. Aye. File item number 2, SB 447, Atkins. Do pass, as amended to Appropriations. Moved by Wallace, second by Jackson. Ramos. Aye.

Four. Motion pass. Okay, I'm going to wait. We need one more.

Amended to Appropriations. It was moved by Jackson, second by Wallace. Petrie-Norris. Aye. File item number 2, SB 447, Atkins. Do pass as amended to Appropriations. It was moved by Wallace, second by Jackson. Petrie-Norris. Aye.

Can you hear me? Okay, just making sure. Oh, chair is back. Petrie-Norris is going to be presenting.

Perfect.

Okay, I'm ready. I'm ready. Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Chair-

Turn on your mic.

We're good.

All right. Good morning, Mr. Chair and fellow committee members. I am really pleased to be able to present SB 822 on behalf of Senator Durazo, today. We are in the midst of an industry-changing moment in the infrastructure, manufacturing, and sustainability sectors. Yet, unlike prevailing wage and public works jobs, public investments in non-construction industries lack the administrative enforcement and statutes to make an impact on really improving job quality. SB 822 will establish agreements between state agencies to advance procurement, contracting, and incentive programs that create quality jobs, with equitable pathways into those jobs.

Most poor people work, often full time, and more than one job. About a third of California's 40 million people live in poverty or near poverty. And the problem isn't that people don't have jobs, or that our historic investments won't create jobs. It's that more people need access to good, high quality jobs. And fewer than half of California workers, right now, consider themselves to be in a, quote unquote, good job. The research is clear that absent state policy, these green jobs will not be the quality jobs that currently exist in our fossil fuel industries. Right now, green jobs pay 40 percent less than fossil fuel jobs.

Fossil fuel occupations pay an hourly wage that allows working adults, with less than a college degree, to provide for their families needs. Our state is aggressive about combating climate change, using all the levers of government to shape markets to reduce carbon. And we need to bring this same intentionality to create good green jobs as part of this transition. Currently, the federal U. S. Department of Labor has an MOU with the Department of Energy, that creates clear paths into high quality jobs in construction, maintenance, manufacturing and operations jobs.

A state level MOU between the California Workforce Development Board and the Public Utilities Commission, creates these same equitable pathways into high quality energy and transportation sector jobs. As Senator Durazo has shared, SB 822 is a key piece of protecting and maximizing our historic investments, for the benefit of working Californians. And pleased to be joined today by Doug Block, who is here to testify in support.

Thank you and good morning. My name is Doug Block. I'm a strategic advisor to the UC Berkeley Labor Center and the California Workforce Development Board on High Road Climate Agency Partnership Initiative, which is how the board provides guidance, recommendations, and technical assistance to state agencies committed to advancing economic equity and job quality through public investments in climate and infrastructure. I'm also an advisor to the US Department of Energy, along with many labor unions. And I've been asked to report briefly on how agency partnerships are happening at the state level.

But first, I think it's instructive to talk about how it's working at the federal level. As mentioned, in 2022, the US Department of Labor launched the Good Jobs Initiative and created a set of good jobs principles that are incorporated into MOUs, with the Departments of Commerce, Transportation, and Energy. Recognizing that, for example, DOT knows transportation, and DOL knows labor, the partnerships behind these MOUs let each agency draw on their own expertise, and it also guarantees there's no attempt for a one-size, fits-all approach.

Now, the good news is, again, as mentioned, California is the model for this, beginning with an MOU between the PUC and the Workforce Development Board, for technical assistance. But we are really at the infant stage right now. Under the Executive Director, Tim Rainey's, leadership, we've negotiated an MOU with the California Energy Commission, and we're working on including job quality and equity standards into their upcoming solicitation for medium, heavy duty, zero-emission vehicle charging infrastructure. And this is an encouraging sign. SB 150, which just passed as part of the infrastructure streamlining package, sets aside $50 million of anticipated federal funding for the state's High Road Construction Careers Training Program.

And it will convene state agencies and stakeholders to develop procurement models that will provide clear and accessible pathways to workers from disadvantaged communities into good-paying union jobs. Last thing I want to say, is that all of these efforts will help California better compete for nearly $2 trillion in competitive funding, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Chips Act. This is an issue that California can and should lead on: climate and jobs. Thank you for your time, and I'm happy to take any questions.

Good. With that, we'll open the room for anyone in support. I see none. And now we'll go to opposition. Anyone in the room for an opposition? None. We'll bring it back to questions and comments from committee members. Motion by Mr. Wallis. Second by Mr. Jackson. With that, would you like to close?

Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. This is a critical moment for jobs, here, in California. And as we build our clean energy economy, we must be intentional about creating a worker-centered economy. By acting now, we can not only bring needed infrastructure projects to our district, but create thousands of -- hundreds of thousands of good, high-paying, high quality jobs, deliver economic growth, and build financial security and prosperity all across the state. So, with that, on behalf of Senator Durazo, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you Assembly Member. Thank you also for stepping in today. I really do appreciate that. I want to thank the Senator Durazo for bringing this bill forward. With that, there was a motion and second. Secretary, can you please call the roll?

File item number 3, SB 822, Durazo, do pass to Appropriations. Moved by Wallis, second by Jackson. Villapudua. Aye. Hoover. No. Haney. Aye. Jackson. Aye. Petrie- Norris. Aye. Ramos. Aye. Wallis. Aye.

We're going to now move to the-

-the consent calendar. Going to the consent calendar. File item number 4, SCR 24, Bradford, to be adopted as amended. It was moved by Jackson, seconded by Wallace. Haney. Aye. File item number 5, SCR 57, Portantino, to be adopted. It, again, was moved by Jackson, second by Wallace. Haney. Aye. 7-0. File item number 1, SB 418, Padilla. Do pass as amended to Appropriations, moved by Jackson, second by Wallace. Haney. Aye. 7-0, measure passes. File item number two, SB 447, Atkins. Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Haney. Aye. 6-1, measure passes. And SB 822 Durazo do pass to Appropriations. File item number 3, that measure also passes. 6-1.

We're good. So this meeting is adjourned. Thank you, everyone.