Eligible training provider list.

Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, with Senator Limón as a coauthor, advances a measure that would shield approved training providers from removal from the state’s eligible training provider list while their continued eligibility is under review, so long as the provider has submitted verification through a local workforce development board. The proposal situates this protection within the broader framework established to align state policy with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, maintaining the existing structure for determining initial and subsequent eligibility. Its central objective is to provide steadier continuity for training providers during the review process. The measure signals an intent to streamline ongoing eligibility procedures while preserving the core criteria that guide which programs remain listed for potential public support.

Key mechanisms center on a biennial cadence for continued eligibility reviews, to be conducted every two fiscal years in a manner determined by the Employment Development Department. Providers that have submitted verification through a local board would not be removed from the eligible training provider list until a formal determination is made that the provider or program does not meet eligibility requirements. The existing framework for establishing initial and subsequent eligibility remains in place, with criteria that include alignment with state and regional workforce needs, the potential for job placement with economic security, and the use of performance-related measures. If federal waivers alter subsequent eligibility provisions, the measure allows the state to tailor its own criteria within the statutory framework. The bill does not specify the exact data or documentation to be used in verification beyond aligning with the established criteria.

In terms of implementation, the bill assigns ongoing verification responsibilities to local workforce development boards, while the California Workforce Development Board and the Employment Development Department coordinate the overall review cadence and determinations. It does not create new appropriations, but the fiscal committee is required to review potential budgetary implications, with potential impacts on agency workloads, data systems, and interagency coordination. The measure preserves the ability to adapt to federal waivers, and it maintains the overarching policy relationship among the CWDB, EDD, and local boards as they update and apply the state’s eligibility framework.

Viewed in a broader context, the proposal introduces a predictable, two-year review cycle intended to reduce administrative churn and provide stability for providers, trainees, and employers that rely on the eligible training provider list. By tying removal protections to verification submitted through local boards, it reinforces local oversight within a standardized statewide process. The approach preserves alignment with WIOA requirements while allowing for state-specific adjustments if federal provisions change, thereby shaping how resources are directed to high-demand occupations and credentialed training over time. The measure thus sits at the intersection of program governance, workforce planning, and administrative efficiency within California’s workforce development system.