AB1980 - Labor: apprenticeship: Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships Grant Program.

Enrolled August 30, 2026 Passed IN Senate August 25, 2026 Passed IN Assembly August 26, 2026 Amended IN Senate August 17, 2026 Amended IN Senate June 08, 2026 Amended IN Assembly May 18, 2026 Amended IN Assembly April 16, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1980 Introduced by Assembly Member Caloza February 13, 2026 An act to amend Section 107.7 of, and to add Section 107.7.3 to, the Labor Code, relating to employment. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1980, Caloza. Labor: apprenticeship: Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships Grant Program. Existing law establishes in the Labor and Workforce Development Agency the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law requires the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish a Women in Construction Priority Unit to, among other things, provide resources for employers and project owners, including public agencies, to improve construction worksite culture, address barriers to employment, and develop training and materials for workforce pipeline professionals specific to women and nonbinary individuals in construction. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the department to establish, through the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships Grant Program, and would state the goals of the program, including, among other things, providing women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations with opportunities to train for a construction career with greater access to preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that are registered with the division. The bill would authorize the department to issue rules, regulations, guidelines, policies, or procedures necessary to implement the bill’s provisions described above. 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 107.7 of the Labor Code is amended to read: 107.7. For purposes of this chapter, all of the following definitions shall apply: (a) “Department” means the Department of Industrial Relations. (b) “Director” means the Director of Industrial Relations. (c) “Registered” means registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards. (d) “Unit” means the Women in Construction Priority Unit. SEC. 2. Section 107.7.3 is added to the Labor Code, immediately following Section 107.7.2, to read: 107.7.3. (a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature of funds to the department, the department, through its Division of Apprenticeship Standards, shall establish and administer the Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships Grant Program. (b) The goals of the Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships Grant Program shall include all of the following: (1) Provide women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations with opportunities to train for a construction career with greater access to registered preapprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs. (2) Increase awareness among women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations of preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that create an on-ramp into a career in the building and construction industry. (3) Increase the number of women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations registered in, and completing, construction preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. (4) Increase the number of women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations employed in the construction trades. (5) Increase retention of women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations in the construction trades. (c) The department may issue rules, regulations, guidelines, policies, or procedures necessary to implement this section.