Bill Text: CA AB2200 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2200 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Online Jobs and Economic Support Resource Grant Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-19 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2200 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB2200-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2200

Introduced by Assembly Member Arambula

February 15, 2022

An act to add Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 12100.100) to Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to economic development.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2200, as introduced, Arambula. Online Jobs and Economic Support Resource Grant Program.

Existing law, the Economic Revitalization Act, establishes the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as “GO-Biz,” in state government within the Governor’s office under the control of a director. The act requires GO-Biz to serve as the Governor’s lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth.

This bill would establish the Online Jobs and Economic Support Resource Grant Program within GO-Biz to support inclusive, cross-jurisdictional, and innovative online platforms that support job and earning opportunities and economic recovery with a strong focus on underserved and economically challenged communities.

Upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature, this bill would require GO-Biz to award grants to eligible applicants pursuant to a prescribed process, including that eligible applicants provide GO-Biz a proposed budget. The bill would require an eligible applicant to meet specified requirements, such as demonstrated experience serving underrepresented and underserved populations, and the ability to maintain an online platform that connects users with economic opportunities, training programs, and services. The bill would require an eligible applicant to be a nonprofit, cooperative, public benefit corporation, or local government. The bill would limit the applicant’s use of grant funding for specified purposes, including supporting and training for platform users. The bill would require grant recipients to submit an annual report to GO-Biz on how those grant recipients used any issued grant funds.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 12100.100) is added to Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:

Article 9.5. Online Jobs and Economic Support Resource Grant Program

12100.100.

(a) There is hereby created, in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Online Jobs and Economic Support Resource Grant Program for the purpose of supporting inclusive, cross-jurisdictional, and innovative online platforms that support job and earnings opportunities and economic recovery with a strong focus on underserved and economically challenged communities.

(b) The goals of the program are to achieve all of the following:

(1) Support Californians impacted by job loss due to COVID-19 and shorten the overall average period of unemployment statewide.

(2) Provide pathways to rapid redeployment of workers to needed industries and reskilling of workers to help offset the impact of worker displacement.

(3) Uplift Californians and aid in the economic recovery of the state and increase the economic mobility of workers in the lower one-third of earners.

12100.101.

(a) An eligible applicant shall be either a nonprofit, cooperative, public benefit corporation, or local government, that meets the other requirements of this article.

(b) An eligible applicant shall have all of the following:

(1) A robust, targeted outreach plan to ensure amplification of, and access to, the online platform by communities hardest hit by job loss amidst the pandemic, including minorities and economically disadvantaged Californians.

(2) Experience serving underrepresented and underserved populations.

(3) The ability to collaborate with stakeholders and partners across California, including, but not limited to, regional workforce boards, appropriate state agencies, and statewide training providers.

(4) The ability to maintain an online platform that shall, at a minimum:

(A) Contain search functions to connect users with all of the following:

(i) Economic opportunities, prioritizing high-road, high-quality jobs.

(ii) Training programs that offer the ability to develop new skills and to expand on existing skills.

(iii) Support services including free or reduced-cost services for medical care, food, shelter, and childcare.

(B) Be capable of serving a region or the entire state.

(D) Be provided at no charge to intended clients.

12100.102.

(a) The office shall develop and implement a process to award competitive grants to eligible applicants that meet the requirements of this article. At a minimum, the process shall require eligible applicants to provide all of the following:

(1) A demonstration of the capability of the online platform and documentation of how the platform is, or will be, integrated within workforce or economic development activities.

(2) A proposal narrative that includes how the platform is, or will be, integrated within the workforce or economic development activities of the applicant or partnering entity.

(3) An explanation of the specific purpose and goals of the grant funds, the roles and responsibilities of the applicant and partners, if any, and a discussion of how funds will be used and success will be measured, the number of individuals who will be served, and the services that will be available to these individuals.

(4) Documentation that each partnering entity has agreed to the activities in the grant proposal.

(5) The designation of one or more targeted populations that will be served by the online platform.

(6) The designation of a service area, which may include one or more regions, or be statewide.

(7) Evidence of demonstrated experience in working with the proposed target populations, especially if the targeted population has been historically disenfranchised or underserved. This requirement may be demonstrated by the identification of partners in the application.

(8) A proposed budget.

(9) A proposed impact assessment and timeline, including progress reports and final deliverables.

(b) Funds awarded pursuant to this article may only be used by a grant recipient for the following expenses:

(1) Design, build, and testing of an online platform as described in this article.

(2) Outreach to potential providers of economic opportunity, training, or services to ensure sufficient activity on the platform and to create opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities.

(3) Web hosting services for the platform, fees associated with listing support services on the platform, relevant technical personnel, and payments to external providers, including, but not limited to, messaging providers, that promote access to the platform.

(4) The infrastructure necessary to operate, maintain, and improve the online platform, including, but not limited to, software and hardware.

(5) Support and training for platform users, and production of instructional materials for those users.

12100.103.

A grant recipient shall be required to submit an annual report to the office on how it used the issued grant funds, and this report shall include all of the following:

(a) The number of individuals who used the online platform.

(b) A description of the resources created to support job and earning opportunities, training sessions, and support services.

(c) Aggregate demographic data on the program’s users amongst underserved and underrepresented communities, including users from disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities.

(d) Employment and business development outcomes.

12100.104.

Upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature to the office for the purpose of implementing this article, the office shall make grants to qualified applicants consistent with Section 12100.102. The office shall post notice of the appropriation on the home page of its internet website and send notice of that appropriation to the Legislative Counsel.