AB2634: Workforce development: High road training partnerships: scoring preference.

Amended IN Assembly April 14, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2634 Introduced by Assembly Member Zbur February 20, 2026 An act to add Section 14013.5 to the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to workforce development. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2634, as amended, Zbur. Workforce development: High road training partnerships. partnerships: scoring preference. The California Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act establishes the California Workforce Development Board to assist 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. Existing law requires the board to administer, promote, expand, and provide field assistance for high road training partnerships, defined as an initiative or project that models strategies for developing industry-based, worker-focused training partnerships, including labor-management partnerships. Existing law requires high road training partnerships to demonstrate job quality standards and employment practices that include, among other things, adoption of mechanisms to include worker voice and agency in the workplace. This bill would require an applicant to satisfy specified requirements to be eligible to receive funding for a high road training partnership, including having a collective bargaining agreement or labor-management partnership. the board, when awarding grants for a high road training partnership program or any successor program, to provide a scoring preference to an applicant that is either a bona fide labor-management cooperation committee, as defined, or is an entity applying on behalf of a bona fide labor-management cooperation committee, as specified. The bill would require the board to determine the amount of the scoring preference provided and to incorporate that preference into program guidelines and grant solicitations. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 14013.5 is added to the Unemployment Insurance Code, to read: 14013.5. (a) For purposes of this section, “bona fide labor-management cooperation committee” means an entity established pursuant to the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 175a) that is jointly established and administered by one or more employers and one or more labor organizations for the purpose of improving labor-management relations, workforce training, job security, organizational effectiveness, enhancing economic development, and involving workers in decisions affecting their jobs. (b) The California Workforce Development Board shall, when awarding grants for a high road training partnership program or any successor program, provide a scoring preference to an applicant that meets either of the following criteria: (1) The applicant is a bona fide labor-management cooperation committee. (2) The applicant is an entity applying on behalf of a bona fide labor-management cooperation committee and submits written authorization from that committee as part of its application. (c) The board shall determine the amount of the scoring preference provided pursuant to subdivision (b) and shall incorporate that preference into program guidelines and grant solicitations. (d) This section does not require the board to award a grant to an applicant solely on the basis of the preference described in subdivision (b). SECTION 1. Section 14013.5 is added to the Unemployment Insurance Code , to read: 14013.5. (a) In addition to criteria otherwise specified by law or the board, an applicant shall satisfy all of the following to be eligible to receive funding for a high road training partnership: (1) Have a collective bargaining agreement or labor-management partnership. (2) Prioritize incumbent workers in low- and middle-wage sectors and job seekers entering these industries. (3) Invest in sectors with documented industry demand and established job quality standards. (4) Give priority to and have a targeted focus on low- and middle-wage sectors tackling the most pressing needs, such as readiness for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. (b) If having a collective bargaining agreement is disallowed from being required in order to allocate funding, grantors of high road training partnership funding shall maintain a preference in scoring mechanism or favorable criteria in the funding process for having a collective bargaining agreement or labor-management partnership.