BILL ANALYSIS
Bill No: AB
127
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 127 Author: Jeffries
As Amended: January 4, 2010
Hearing Date: June 9, 2010
Consultant: Chris Lindstrom
SUBJECT
Volunteer service: Office of California Volunteers and
California Volunteers Commission.
DESCRIPTION
AB 127 repeals the Office for Citizen Initiative and
Voluntary Action (OCIVA) and establishes the Office of
California Volunteers (Office) within the Governor's
Office.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Specifies the duties and responsibilities of the Office.
2)Requires the Office, in cooperation with the Health and
Human Services Agency, the California Emergency
Management Agency (CEMA), and nonprofit volunteer
organizations, to ensure the coordination of volunteer
activities related to disaster response and recovery,
including necessary training, equipment, and
transportation provisions.
3)Requires the Office to coordinate monetary donations
during times of disaster in cooperation with CEMA.
4)Establishes the Secretary of Service and Volunteering,
who shall be appointed by the Governor.
AB 127 (Jeffries) continued
Page 2
5)Establishes the California Volunteers Commission
(Commission) and specifies eligibility, term, and
requirements for commissioners. The Commission shall not
exceed 25 members.
6)Allows the First Lady or First Gentleman of California to
serve as the Commission's Honorary Chairperson (HC).
7)Requires the HC or commissioners to serve without
compensation, but allows per diem or reimbursement for
travel expenses, as appropriate.
8)Provides that no more than 50% of the Commission, plus
one member, shall be from the same political party.
EXISTING LAW
Existing federal law establishes the National and Community
Service Trust Act (NCSTA) of 1993, which requires each
state governor to create and appoint a commission to
administer the Americorps volunteer program.
Existing state law establishes the California State
Government Volunteers Act.
Existing state law establishes OCIVA within the Governor's
Office.
Existing state law establishes a 9-member advisory body,
the Public Employee Review Committee, within OCIVA to
analyze OCIVA, make recommendations and prepare an annual
report for the Legislature.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of the bill . According to the author's office,
"California Volunteers (CV) is a state agency established
by executive order that manages programs and initiatives to
increase the number of Californians involved with service
and volunteering. AB 127 would, by statute, establish the
Office of California Volunteers within the Office of the
Governor."
Background . This bill would codify Governor
Schwarzenegger's 2006 Executive Order (EO) S-24-06, which
renamed the California Service Corps to CV, recognizes the
AB 127 (Jeffries) continued
Page 3
First Lady as the HC of CV, and allows for travel
reimbursement and per diem for the First Lady or CV
Commissioners, as appropriate. AB 127 also allows for a
First Gentleman to serve in the capacity as CV's HC.
Historically, California state governors have issued
non-controversial EOs on the subject of volunteerism
following the passage of the 1993 NCSTA, mainly to rename
the state volunteer organization.
In 1994, Governor Pete Wilson signed EO W-77-94, creating
the Commission on Improving Life Through Service. Since
the commission's inception, each First Lady of California
has served as the state volunteer commission's HC.
In 2001, Governor Gray Davis renamed the organization as
the Governor's Office On Service and Volunteerism (GO
SERV). In August 2004, the organization was renamed the
California Service Corps.
In December 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed EO
S-24-06, renaming the organization CV and charging CV with
the coordination of volunteer activities related to
disaster response and recovery, including necessary
training, equipment, and transportation provisions. In
February 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed EO S-02-08 to
establish the Cabinet-level position of Secretary of
Service and Volunteering.
CV is the state office charged with managing programs and
initiatives to increase the number and impact of
Californians involved with service and volunteering,
including the state AmeriCorps program, California Citizen
Corps, Disaster Corps, California Green Job Corps, Business
Partners Program and the Cesar Chavez Day of Service and
Learning. The CV Web site, CaliforniaVolunteers.org, lists
more than 45,000 volunteer opportunities throughout the
state involving the arts, education, animals, disaster
preparedness, the environment, and other areas of interest.
It is unclear presently whether this legislation is
necessary. Current statute establishes OCIVA, and CV
presently has authority to operate under EO S-25-06; no
further legislative action is required to keep CV
operating.
AB 127 (Jeffries) continued
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PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
SB 1345 (Ashburn), 2007-2008 Legislative Session . Would
have removed the sunset on a provision in the Labor Code
that authorizes volunteers to work on public works projects
without the requirement that they be paid prevailing wage.
(Died in Senate Labor)
AB 2537 (Furutani), Chapter 678, Statutes of 2008 . Would
have extended for three years, the sunset date on a
provision that enables volunteers to work on public works
projects without triggering the requirement that prevailing
wages must be paid. Would have required the Director of
Industrial Relations to conduct a study, as specified, to
evaluate the impact of allowing volunteers to work on
public works projects and to submit its findings to the
Legislature by June 30, 2011.
SUPPORT : As of June 4, 2010:
California Association of Local Conservation Corps
OPPOSE : None on file as of June 4, 2010.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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