BILL NUMBER: SB 23 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Senator Lara
DECEMBER 3, 2012
An act relating to the Office of New Americans
to add Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 12092) to Chapter 1
of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating
to state government .
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 23, as amended, Lara. Office of New Americans.
Task Force on Immigrant Integration.
Existing law establishes the Naturalization Services Program,
administered within the Department of Community Services and
Development, to fund community-based organizations in assisting legal
permanent residents in obtaining citizenship.
This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to
establish the Office of New Americans to coordinate efforts and
facilitate programs and services that result in the successful
integration of California's new American immigrants
establish the Task Force on Immigrant Integration within the office
of the Governor to provide, among other things, recommendations on
protocols and collaboration among governmental agencies to streamline
resources to assist immigrant integration .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no
yes . State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Immigrants are a vibrant force in California's changing
demographics. In 2010, the foreign born represented 13 percent of the
United States population and 27 percent called California home.
(b) In 2009, 31.4 percent of foreign-born individuals were legal
permanent residents and 44 percent were naturalized citizens.
(c) Of the foreign-born immigrants who are over 16 years of age,
68 percent participate in the labor force.
(d) According to the federal Small Business Administration, 18
percent of all small business owners in the United States are
immigrants. According to the Fiscal Policy Institute, small
businesses owned by immigrants employed an estimated 4.7 million
people in 2007, and according to the latest estimates, these small
businesses generated more than $776 billion annually. According to
the United States Census Bureau, despite making up only 16 percent of
the resident population holding a bachelor's degree or higher,
immigrants represent 33 percent of engineers, 27 percent of
mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists, and 24
percent of physical scientists. In 2011, foreign-born inventors were
credited with contributing to more than 75 percent of patents issued
to the top 10 patent-producing universities, according to the
Partnership for a New American Economy.
(e) Additionally, the purchasing power of Latinos and Asians, many
of whom are immigrants, alone will reach $1.5 trillion and $775
billion, respectively, by 2015. And, according to the White House,
increased immigration to the United States has increased the earnings
of Americans with more than a high school degree. Between 1990 and
2004, increased immigration was correlated with increasing earnings
of Americans by 0.7 percent and is expected to contribute to an
increase of 1.8 percent over the long term.
(f) During the 20th century, the nation launched a movement,
involving federal, state, and local governments, businesses, labor
unions, schools, and social organizations, to help integrate
immigrants into society. Today, however, few programs exist at the
federal or state level to accomplish similar objectives. If they
exist, they are often uncoordinated amongst themselves.
(g) Citizenship and civic participation on the part of all
California residents is vital to the economic and societal well-being
of the state.
(h) It is in the best interest of the state and its residents to
establish an Office of New Americans in state government to advocate
for, and promote cooperation and understanding between, government
agencies and immigrant residents, and to assist immigrants toward
naturalization.
(i) It is in the best interest of the state to support the ability
of all its residents, including immigrants, to be economically
self-sufficient, participate in our nation's and state's political
process, and develop a sense of responsibility for their community.
SEC. 2. Article 8.5 (commencing with Section
12092) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3 of
Title 2 of the Government Code , to read:
Article 8.5. Immigrant Integration
12092. (a) There is in the Governor's office the Task Force on
Immigrant Integration to provide both of the following:
(1) On or before January 1, 2015, recommendations on protocols and
collaboration among governmental agencies to streamline resources to
assist immigrant integration and policy recommendations to the
Legislature on integrating immigrants in the state, including a
recommendation on the establishment of an Office of New Americans.
(2) No later than six months after the date when changes in
federal immigration law occur to authorize undocumented immigrants to
change their legal status, initial recommendations to the
Legislature to ensure the state is ready to assist new Americans
eligible to change their legal status pursuant to federal law.
(b) (1) The task force shall be comprised of 15 members appointed
by the Governor on or before April 1, 2014. In order to be eligible
for appointment to the task force, an individual shall have
experience and expertise in immigrant integration.
(2) Members of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the
Governor. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy, the Governor shall
appoint a replacement within 20 days of the vacancy.
(c) Members of the task force shall not be compensated, but shall
be reimbursed for necessary expenses to attend meetings.
(d) The Governor shall select the chair of the task force from the
members appointed, pursuant to subdivision (b).
(e) Meetings of the task force shall be subject to the open
meeting requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9
(commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1).
(f) The task force shall meet at least four times during the
calendar year and meet at least once within the Counties of Fresno,
Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
SEC. 2. It is the intent of the Legislature to
establish an Office of New Americans to coordinate efforts and
facilitate programs and services that result in the successful
integration of California's new American immigrant.