Microenterprises: economic development.

(1) Existing law encourages local governments as well as California communities and the public agencies that serve them to promote microenterprise, as defined, development. This bill would revise the definition of microenterprise. (2) The federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 provides for workforce investment activities, including activities in which states may participate. Under existing law, the California Workforce Investment Board is responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system. Existing law requires the board, among other things, to assist the Governor with promoting the development of a well-educated and highly skilled workforce and developing the State Workforce Investment Plan. This bill would express findings and declarations of the Legislature with respect to the self-employment workforce in the state, and the importance of all Californians having the opportunity to receive the training for entrepreneurial and self-employment provided for under the federal act. This bill would additionally require the board to assist the Governor by developing specified guidelines for certain high-wage industry sectors and making recommendations on how to target resources to specified high-wage industry sectors, and by recommending policy and providing technical assistance on entrepreneurial training opportunities that could be made available through local workforce investment board programs as authorized under the federal act. (3) The bill would also require the board, by January 1, 2011, to develop and distribute guidelines, or provide other assistance to, local workforce investment boards to help them implement entrepreneurial and self-employment training programs.