BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                          SB 537 (Correa)
          
          Hearing Date: 05/02/2011        Amended: 03/21/201
          Consultant: Maureen Ortiz       Policy Vote: VA 8-0
          
















































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          BILL SUMMARY:  SB 537 makes several changes to the California 
          Cadet Corps program, and permits cities and counties to 
          establish a military academy.
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          ___
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2011-12      2012-13      2013-14     Fund
           
          Military academy                -------potentially several 
          hundred thousand 
                                                                           
           dollars per academy-------              General
          _________________________________________________________________
          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral to the 
          Suspense File. 


          The Department of Military indicates minor additional costs 
          associated with assisting and overseeing any additional 
          California Cadet Corps programs.  However, to the extent that 
          new military academies are established as the bill authorizes, 
          even though the academies would be funded by the school district 
          or city which opts to establish them, the Military Department 
          would likely incur additional costs for oversight.  The Adjutant 
          General's Office currently receives about $1 million annually 
          from the General Fund for support of military officers who work 
          at the Oakland Military Institute; therefore, the addition of 
          any new military academies could result in cost pressure for 
          additional funding from the state.

          The California Cadet Corps, founded in 1911, is a school-based 
          program conducted with a military framework and provides maximum 
          growth and leadership opportunities for California students.  
          The program is offered through schools and can be taken for 
          credit.  As part of their training, cadets provide assistance 
          and support to their school and their communities.  Examples 
          include color guards, participation in parades, and peer 
          mentors.  There are currently about 6,500 cadets.  The Military 
          Department provides administrative oversight and logistical 
          support to ensure the cadets receive uniforms, supplies, 
          equipment, and training materials.








          SB 537 (Correa)
          Page 3




          SB 537 makes the following changes to the California Cadet Corps 
          program:

          a)   Eliminates the requirement that a college, community 
          college, or high school have 100 or more students who are 14 
          years of age or over in order to organize a cadet company, 
          thereby allowing any college, community college or school to 
          organize into a California Cadet Corps.  Costs of the program 
          will be paid by schools opting to have a Cadet Corps.
          b)  Allows for the appointment of adult non-commissioned 
          officers and warrant officers in the California Cadet Corps.
          c)  Creates a presumption that any executive officer, assistant 
          executive officer, advisor, officer, warrant officer, or 
          noncommissioned officer hurt in the line of duty is receiving a 
          yearly earning of at least $10,000 for purposes of receiving 
          workers' compensation benefits.

          Current law authorizes the Adjutant General to enter into a 
          cooperative agreement with the City of Oakland to establish an 
          Oakland Military Institute.   The Institute, established in 
          2001, operates as a charter school in the Oakland School 
          District.  SB 537 will authorize the Adjutant General to enter 
          into a cooperative agreement with the Superintendent of Public 
          Instruction, or any county, city, or school government board to 
          establish a military academy.

          This bill is sponsored by the Military Department intending to 
          update the applicable code sections relating to the California 
          Cadet Corps, and to authorize additional military academies 
          throughout the state.

          The Cadet Corps is a school based education and prevention 
          program directed toward enhanced school safety, dropout 
          prevention, and gang avoidance.  It is fully integrated as part 
          of the existing school curriculum providing specialized academic 
          performance, and military style training addressing problematic 
          behavior, substandard academic performance, and other at risk 
          factors.  The program stresses six objectives: support and 
          enhance academic achievement, provide opportunities for 
          leadership, foster good citizenship, enhance patriotism, provide 
          basic military knowledge, and promote health, fitness, and 
          wellness. 








          SB 537 (Correa)
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