Call to Action: Support Education & Workforce Development Bills Pending in the Appropriations Committee!
Please join our advocacy efforts to support education and workforce bills pending before the Appropriations Committee Suspense File! The hearing will take place on Thursday, May 14, 2025, upon adjournment of Floor Session (Floor Session begins at 9:00 am).
The suspense file is where costly bills are reviewed before the Appropriations Committee decides whether they should be held back or advance in the legislative process.
View the livestream Senate hearing here and the Assembly hearing here.
Education and Workforce Bills Pending in Appropriations Committee
SB 1054 (Cabaldon) – Better Data, Better Coverage, Better California Act (CA EDGE Coalition Co-Sponsored). Requires employers to report hours worked and occupation data through Employment Development Department wage filings to improve workforce outcomes tracking, support Workforce Pell implementation, and help working families verify eligibility for safety net programs.
SB 1006 (Padilla) – Cal Grant B. Indexes the Cal Grant B access award to inflation so that financial aid for non-tuition costs like housing, food, and transportation maintains its real value for underserved Californians.
AB 1534 (Irwin) – Workforce Pell. Establishes a state approval process with strong student protections for short-term workforce training programs seeking access to newly authorized federal Workforce Pell Grants.
AB 1871 (Fong) – Dual Enrollment. Reforms the College and Career Access Pathways Dual Enrollment Program to remove student-level barriers, including the principal approval requirement and course caps, and expand equitable access to college coursework for high school students.
Take action! Sign on to support these measures here.
And follow us on LinkedIn for the latest bill updates!
For questions, please contact Valerie Johnson, Policy & Advocacy Manager, at vjhonson@caedge.org.
Provide Public Comment for ACR 16 Opportunity Youth!
The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), as part of its plan to implement ACR 16: Needs of Opportunity Youth, has formed an Opportunity Youth Workgroup to develop a “Best Practice” Policy Brief. The brief will focus on strengthening strategies for Local Workforce Development Boards in serving opportunity youth.
As co-sponsors of ACR 16, EDGE, in partnership with the California Opportunity Youth Network (COYN) and New Ways to Work, is excited to support this effort. This workgroup is an important opportunity to strengthen the state’s goals around supporting opportunity youth as they advance in California’s education and workforce systems.
The deadline for public comment is Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Feedback may be submitted to the CWDB Policy Unit at PolicyUnit@cwdb.ca.gov.
Learn more here.
Support EDGE’s 2026 Policy Priorities and Engage in Advocacy!
EDGE invites partners to sign on in support of our 2026 Policy Priorities and/or engage in collective advocacy efforts advancing economic mobility for Californians who have been historically excluded from the state’s prosperity.
Our 2026 Policy Priorities advance a bold, equity-centered vision to:
Advance Equitable Pathways to Quality Jobs by connecting Californians to coordinated education, training, credentials, and apprenticeships that lead to family-sustaining careers.
Invest in the Social Determinants of Work by reducing barriers to accessing childcare, housing, transportation, health care, digital access, and financial aid so more people can participate in education and employment.
Strengthen Data and Policy Alignment for Economic Mobility by leveraging integrated data and cross-agency coordination to drive equity-centered investments and statewide accountability.
Protect and Sustain California’s Workforce Infrastructure by defending core education and workforce funding and supporting sustainable strategies that strengthen jobs, small businesses, and economic resilience.
By completing our collective advocacy form, your organization can:
Express interest in signing on in support of the EDGE 2026 Policy Priorities, and/or
Indicate interest in participating in advocacy opportunities, including legislative meetings, coalition letters, budget advocacy, and other coordinated efforts aligned with EDGE priorities.
Signing on in support and engaging in advocacy strengthens a unified coalition voice as EDGE works with the California Legislature, Administration, and key decision-makers to advance shared priorities.
View the full policy priorities here.
For questions or more information, please contact Anna Alvarado, Chief of Policy and Government Affairs, at aalvarado@caedge.org.