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AB 296

Relating to: eliminating the 13-week limit on the garnishment of earnings of certain debtors.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Dittrich and 12 co-sponsors

Requires public schools to host at least one apprenticeship fair per school year and notify county DAS-approved programs, boosting student access to local apprenticeships.

Referred to committee on Rules
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Bill Summary · AB 296

AB 296 — Apprenticeship fairs (Davies) — Summary

Status: Introduced January 23, 2025. Last action: From Assembly Labor & Employment Committee — do pass and re‑refer to Committee on Education (Ayes 5, Noes 2) (Apr 2, 2025); re‑referred to Education. (See timeline below.)

Purpose

AB 296 requires California public schools and school districts to more actively connect students with apprenticeship opportunities. It shifts prior statutory language that merely “encouraged” apprenticeship fairs into a mandatory requirement and clarifies notification rules for apprenticeship programs when schools hold college or career events.

Key provisions

  • Amends Labor Code section 3074.2.
  • Definitions: clarifies “career fair,” “college fair,” and “school” (including charter and alternative schools).
  • Notification of apprenticeship programs:
    • A school district or school planning a college or career fair must notify each approved apprenticeship program in the same county.
    • If no apprenticeship program operates in that county, the school may notify apprenticeship programs in any county that borders the school’s county.
    • Schools must rely on the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) approved apprenticeship programs database to determine program county and contact info.
    • Required notification must include planned date/time and location, delivered before the event by first‑class mail or electronic mail using contact info in the DAS database.
  • Mandatory apprenticeship fair:
    • Each school district or school must host at least one apprenticeship fair per school year modeled on college/career fairs and focused on local apprenticeship programs and career technical education.
    • The school/district must notify apprenticeship programs in the county about the apprenticeship fair using the notification rules above.
  • Community service credit:
    • If a school district’s governing board requires community service hours for graduation, the district must grant a student one hour of credit toward that requirement for attending a college fair, career fair, or apprenticeship fair (per year).
  • State‑mandated local program and reimbursement:
    • Because the bill creates new duties for local schools/districts, it is a state‑mandated local program. If the Commission on State Mandates finds costs mandated by the state, reimbursement is to follow statutory procedures (Gov. Code, Part 7, starting at §17500).

Who is affected

  • Public schools and school districts (including charter/alternative schools) — new annual event requirement and notification duties.
  • Approved apprenticeship programs — will receive mandated notice and invitations.
  • Students — increased exposure to apprenticeships; potential community service credit (if district requires such hours).
  • Division of Apprenticeship Standards — its database is the authoritative source for program contact and county location.

Procedural timeline / actions

  • 2025-01-23: Introduced; read first time.
  • 2025-02-10: Referred to Labor & Employment and Education committees.
  • 2025-03-25: Amended and re‑referred to Labor & Employment.
  • 2025-04-02: Labor & Employment committee vote — do pass and re‑refer to Education (Ayes 5, Noes 2).
  • 2025-04-03: Action recorded as re‑referred to Committee on Education.

Fiscal notes

  • Appropriation: No.
  • Fiscal committee: Yes.
  • Local program: Yes (potentially reimbursable pending Commission on State Mandates review).

If you want, I can draft a one‑page explainer for school administrators on compliance steps (notification process, use of DAS database, scheduling the annual apprenticeship fair).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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