José Solache

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 Budget Act of 2025 appropriated $5,000,000 to the board to support workforce development in areas of the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura impacted by wildfires.

This bill would require the board to allocate the funds from that appropriation to the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity for, among other things, workforce development 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 Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity to reallocate $600,000 to the Economic Development Collaborative for those purposes. The bill would require the board to allow the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity to subcontract with other entities to fulfill the provisions and intent of the bill 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 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, if feasible.

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.