Bill Text: CA AB345 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 345

Introduced

Bill Title: Apprenticeship programs: approval process.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-29 - Read first time. To print. [AB345 Detail]

Download: California-2025-AB345-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 345

Introduced by Assembly Member Jackson

January 29, 2025

An act to add Section 3075.2 to the Labor Code, relating to apprenticeship.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 345, as introduced, Jackson. Apprenticeship programs: approval process.

Existing law provides for apprenticeship programs within the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations, sponsored by specific entities and employers, and requires the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to perform various functions with respect to apprenticeship programs and the welfare of apprentices, including the approval of new apprenticeship programs. Existing law makes any person who willfully discriminates in any recruitment or apprenticeship program, as specified, guilty of a misdemeanor.

This bill would require the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to confirm the completeness of an application for a new apprenticeship program within 30 days of receiving the application. The bill would provide that, where the chief has not made a final determination on a completed application for a new program within 6 months of receiving the application, the program shall have conditional approval to operate if it satisfies specified conditions, including approval by the United States Department of Labor. The bill would require the chief to make a final determination on an application for a new apprenticeship program within one year of receiving a completed application. The bill would provide its provisions do not apply to apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades or to firefighter programs.

Because the bill would expand the scope of an existing crime with respect to willful violations of provisions of the law related to discrimination in apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 3075.2 is added to the Labor Code, to read:

3075.2.

(a) (1) Within 30 days of receiving an application for a new apprenticeship program, the Division of Apprenticeship Standards shall confirm the completeness of the application, and notify applicants if any components of the application are incomplete.

(2) This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit the Division of Apprenticeship Standards from requesting additional information as necessary throughout the review process.

(b) (1) If the chief, in consultation with the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships, has not made a final determination on a completed application for a new apprenticeship program within six months of receiving the completed application, the program shall have conditional approval if it satisfies all of the following:

(A) The program has been approved by the United States Department of Labor.

(B) The program has documented employer commitments that demonstrate both of the following:

(i) A capacity to employ apprentices.

(ii) The ability to provide on-the-job training.

(C) The program has an identified local educational agency partner to ensure the theoretical instruction component of the apprenticeship meets educational standards.

(2) A program that has conditional approval to operate shall be subject to specific reasonable conditions the Division of Apprenticeship Standards deems necessary and appropriate.

(d) For purposes of this section, “conditional approval” means the temporary authorization to operate an apprenticeship program, pending final review.

(e) This section shall not apply to apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades and firefighter programs.

SEC. 2.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.