Currrent as of February 4, 2022
Senate Bill No. 705
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Introduced by Senator Hueso |
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An act to add Article 10.5 (commencing with Section 33438) to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to workforce development.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
SB 705, as amended, Hueso. Workforce development: Binational Education and Workforce Opportunities Act.
Existing law establishes the State Department of Education, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and assigns to the department numerous duties relating to the governance and funding of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Existing law establishes the California Workforce Development Board, and assigns to the board the responsibility 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.
This bill would require the department and the California Workforce Development Board, in consultation with the California-Mexico Border Relations Council, to jointly form a study group of subject matter experts in specified fields to analyze unique challenges and opportunities arising from the presence of a large binational student population and workforce on both sides of the California-Mexico border. The bill would require the department and the California Workforce Development Board to issue a report to the Legislature, by July 1, 2023, on recommendations and findings of the study group and a preliminary plan, resource needs, and scoping options based on available resources for increasing access to, and the quality of, educational opportunities for binational students and workers, and developing and providing a comprehensive suite of career services and job training opportunities for binational students and workers.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal Committee: yes Local Program: no
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
Article 10.5 (commencing with Section 33438) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
Article 10.5. Binational Education and Workforce Opportunities Act
33438.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) California is a global leader, and our relationship with Mexico plays an increasing role in our economy and the future of our jobs.
(b) The development of a binational workforce will be crucial to California’s global competitiveness.
(c) More attention and investment is needed to strengthen California’s workforce, to foster more collaboration to address shared challenges with Mexico, and to build economic resiliency.
33485.5.
(a) In consultation with the California-Mexico Border Relations Council, the department and the California Workforce Development Board shall jointly form a study group comprised of subject matter experts in the fields of education, trade, immigration, workforce services, and labor markets to analyze the unique challenges and opportunities arising from the presence of a large binational student population and workforce living and working on both sides of the California-Mexico border.
(b) (1) The study group shall issue a report to the department and the California Workforce Development Board, by December 1, 2022, detailing findings and recommendations on how to accomplish all of the following:
(A) Improve educational and labor market outcomes for binational students and workers.
(B) Enhance educational, job training, and career services supports for binational students and workers.
(C) Understand the labor market dynamics associated with the cross-border movement of goods and people and use this understanding to develop appropriate education and workforce programs and services to the educational and career benefit of binational students and workers.
(D) Leverage and optimize the occupational skills and educational achievements of binational students who have degrees, credentials, and certifications from either side of the California-Mexico border.
(E) Use educational and workforce investments to build resilient cross-border supply chains.
(F) Determine the feasibility of establishing cross-border binational postsecondary coursework, postsecondary degree opportunities, and internships.
(2) The study group may use existing research to expedite completion and submission of the report.
(c) In consultation with the California-Mexico Border Relations Council, the department and the California Workforce Development Board shall issue a report of the study group’s findings and recommendations to the Legislature, pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, by July 1, 2023. In addition to reporting on the matters in subdivision (b), the report shall also provide to the Legislature a preliminary plan, resource needs, and scoping options based on available resources for achieving both of the following goals:
(1) Increasing access to, and the quality of, educational opportunities for binational students and workers, including the development and expansion of support programs, for cross-border pupils or other pupils whose education is obtained in both California and Mexico, and bilingual or multilingual instructional programs.
(2) Developing and providing a comprehensive suite of career services and job training opportunities for binational students and workers.
SB 705