Broadband Labor Standards Act: broadband deployment projects: model contract terms: memorandum of understanding.

Existing law establishes the California Broadband Council in state government for the purpose of promoting broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas of the state and broadband adoption throughout the state and imposes specified duties on the council relating to that purpose, including taking actions to ensure that state agencies are coordinating efforts and resources to promote broadband deployment and adoption. Existing law also 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 the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. This bill would enact the Broadband Labor Standards Act. The bill would require the board, by January 1, 2026, to convene relevant stakeholders and state agencies to develop model contract terms for broadband deployment projects that are awarded grants by state agencies and to provide a recommendation on a memorandum of understanding between the board and the Public Utilities Commission to enable development of high road job creation on broadband deployment projects and expand access to those jobs, as specified. By July 1, 2026, the bill would require the board to post the model contract terms on the board's internet website and submit a report to the Legislature on specified matters, including a summary of the discussions with relevant stakeholders and state agencies to develop the model contract terms. The bill would require any model contract terms developed pursuant to the bill's provisions to be applied to a contract related to a broadband deployment project or application entered into or amended by a state agency, as specified.