BILL ANALYSIS Ó
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 735|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 735
Author: Mitchell (D), et al.
Amended: 8/15/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMM : 10-3, 06/28/11
AYES: Wright, Calderon, Cannella, Corbett, De León, Evans,
Hernandez, Padilla, Wyland, Yee
NOES: Anderson, Berryhill, Strickland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-1, 05/27/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Interns and student assistants: hiring
preference
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill (1) requires state agencies, when
hiring for internships and student assistant positions, to
give preference to qualified applicants who are, or have
been, dependent children in foster care, (2) requires the
preference to be granted to applicants up to 26 years of
age, (3) requires the county welfare department to provide
dependent children with information notifying them that
they may be eligible for this preference, and (4) defines
"preference" to mean, priority over similarly qualified
applicants for placement in the position.
CONTINUED
AB 735
Page
2
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Authorizes various state agencies to employ such
assistance as may be necessary for the proper discharge
of their duties.
2.Prohibits the juvenile court, in certain cases, from
terminating jurisdiction over a dependent child until the
county welfare department submits a report verifying that
certain information has been provided to the minor,
including his or her social security card and birth
certificate.
This bill:
1.Requires state agencies, when hiring for internships and
student assistant positions, to give preference to
qualified applicants who are, or have been, dependent
children in foster care.
2.Requires the preference to be granted to applicants up to
26 years of age.
3.Requires the county welfare department to provide
dependent children with information notifying them that
they may be eligible for this preference.
4.Defines "preference" to mean, priority over similarly
qualified applicants for placement in the position.
Comments
State employees are hired under the civil service process,
which includes examinations and the development of job
classification lists. Once an individual is placed on a
list, he or she is eligible for that position
classification in various state agencies. According to the
State Personnel Board, the state establishes a preference
in hiring for veterans. Specifically, veterans receive
additional points on their examinations.
Unlike state employees, student assistants are not subject
to these civil servant requirements and as such, individual
state agencies are responsible for hiring for these
CONTINUED
AB 735
Page
3
positions. The hiring process for student assistance is
merit-based.
Related Legislation
AB 12 (Beall) Chapter 559, Statutes of 2010, extends foster
care to age 19, and to age 21 by 2014, among other
provisions.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/16/11)
California State PTA
California Youth Connection
Children's Advocacy Institute, University of San Diego
County Welfare Directors Association
John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
foster youth face a difficult and uphill battle. "They are
removed from their families, often due to physical or
sexual abuse or neglect, and then plunged into "the system"
where they face an uncertain future. The State, acting as
the parent of foster youth, has a unique obligation to
ensure the safety and success of foster youth. Yet our
current efforts are woefully inadequate.
"Despite their precarious situations, foster youth must
stand on their own eight years earlier than their
counterparts, with only one-fifth of the financial support
their counterparts receive. The typical youth - one who
does not have a history of abuse and neglect - does not
achieve true self-sufficiency until age 26.
"Most foster youth receive virtually no financial help as
they struggle toward adulthood. AB 735 takes advantage of
existing Student Assistant/ Intern positions within State
service and gives current/former foster youth priority when
applying for these jobs. This is not only the
moral/ethical thing to do; California pays a high price
when transition foster youth end up incarcerated,
unemployed or homeless. AB 735 also stipulates that foster
CONTINUED
AB 735
Page
4
youth shall be informed of their priority applicant status
upon emancipation so that this opportunity can indeed be
taken advantage of."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-1, 05/27/11
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Beth Gaines,
Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Hagman,
Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill,
Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara,
Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller,
Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby,
Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Skinner,
Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner,
Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NOES: Donnelly
NO VOTE RECORDED: Furutani, Gorell, Silva
PQ:nl 8/17/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****
CONTINUED