Existing law, the California Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, establishes the California Workforce Development Board as the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. The act requires the establishment of a local workforce development board in each local workforce development area of the state to, among other things, plan and oversee the workforce investment system.
This bill would require the California Workforce Development Board, upon appropriation of funds, to allocate funds to the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity and the Economic Development Collaborative for, among other things, workforce strategies, such as education or supportive services, including stipends for underemployed and unemployed low- to moderate-income individuals to ensure a skilled and sufficient workforce for the scale of rebuilding and recovery of areas in the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura impacted by the 2025 wildfires and to support underemployed and unemployed low- to moderate-income workers affected by the fires. The bill would require the board, among other things, to determine the most expeditious allocation, deployment, and redeployment of the funds based on the greatest need and would require the board to require quality standards and practices, as specified. The bill would require the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity and the Economic Development Collaborative to focus on employment in jobs in certain professions and industries, including construction, firefighting, and health care, or other areas essential to emergency response, disaster relief, recovery, rebuilding, and regional economic development and resilience. The bill would require individuals participating in programs funded by the bill to have access to expedited licensing and certification.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura.