Job creation, work incentive, and work subsidy programs.

Existing law regulates business and employment in California. This bill, the California Civic Works Act of 2010, would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation, to allow local jurisdictions to create unique solutions, as needed, to respond to California's current economic crisis. Existing law provides for the allocation of funds received by the state from the federal Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs (TANF-ECF) , in accordance with the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) , to pay county costs for certain wage subsidy programs and nonrecurrent short-term benefit programs, as defined, notwithstanding the provisions of the existing allocation. Existing law defines needy families for purposes of these provisions. Existing law makes these provisions inoperative October 1, 2010, and would repeal the provisions on January 1, 2011. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to issue all-county letters or similar instructions to clarify eligibility criteria, and provide a framework for wage subsidy programs funded pursuant to the federal Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs. The bill would specify other components of the all-county letters or similar instructions. This bill would prohibit a county's eligibility to receive funding for a program operated in accordance with the bill from being limited or otherwise restricted because the county is already operating a wage subsidy program on the date that the bill is enacted. The bill would require the department to be prepared to launch a civic works employment program within 4 weeks of the operative date of a federal extension to the TANF-ECF program, would require the department to encourage interested counties in developing a part-time apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program for an applicant already enrolled in at least 20 hours of work subsidy, and would require the department to submit all federally mandated progress reports to specified committees of the Legislature in a timely manner. Under existing law, moneys from the General Fund are continuously appropriated to defray a portion of the state's share of CalWORKs costs. This bill would provide that no appropriation would be made pursuant to those provisions for purposes of implementing the bill. To the extent that it would increase the duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program this 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.