SB 23, as amended, Lara. Task Force on New American 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, until January 1, 2018, establish the Task Force on New American Integration within the office of the Governor to provide, among other things, recommendations to the Legislature on protocols and collaboration among governmental agencies to streamline resources to assist immigrant integration.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of
2the following:
P2 1(a) Immigrants are a vibrant force in California’s changing
2demographics. In 2010, the foreign born represented 13 percent
3of the United States population and 27 percent called California
4home.
5(b) In 2009, 31.4 percent of foreign-born individuals were legal
6permanent residents and 44 percent were naturalized citizens.
7(c) Of the foreign-born immigrants who are over 16 years of
8age, 68 percent participate in the labor force.
9(d) According to the federal Small Business Administration, 18
10percent of all small business owners in the United States are
11immigrants. According to the Fiscal Policy Institute, small
12businesses owned by immigrants employed an estimated 4.7
13million people in 2007, and according to the latest estimates, these
14small businesses generated more than $776 billion annually.
15According to the United States Census Bureau, despite making up
16only 16 percent of the resident population holding a bachelor’s
17degree or higher, immigrants represent 33 percent of engineers,
1827 percent of mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists,
19and 24 percent of physical scientists. In 2011, foreign-born
20inventors were credited with contributing to more than 75 percent
21of patents issued to the top 10 patent-producing universities,
22according to the
Partnership for a New American Economy.
23(e) Additionally, the purchasing power of Latinos and Asians,
24many of whom are immigrants, alone will reach $1.5 trillion and
25$775 billion, respectively, by 2015. And, according to the White
26House, increased immigration to the United States has increased
27the earnings of Americans with more than a high school degree.
28Between 1990 and 2004, increased immigration was correlated
29with increasing earnings of Americans by 0.7 percent and is
30expected to contribute to an increase of 1.8 percent over the long
31term.
32(f) During the 20th century, the nation launched a movement,
33involving federal, state, and local governments, businesses, labor
34unions, schools, and social organizations, to help integrate
35immigrants into society. Today, however, few
programs exist at
36the federal or state level to accomplish similar objectives. If they
37exist, they are often uncoordinated amongst themselves.
38(g) Citizenship and civic participation on the part of all
39California residents is vital to the economic and societal well-being
40of the state.
P3 1(h) It is in the best interest of the state and its residents to
2establish an Office of New Americans in state government to
3advocate for, and promote cooperation and understanding between,
4government agencies and immigrant residents, and to assist
5immigrants toward naturalization.
6(i) It is in the best interest of the state to support the ability of
7all its residents, including immigrants, to be economically
8self-sufficient,
participate in our nation’s and state’s political
9process, and develop a sense of responsibility for their community.
Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 12092) is added
11to Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
12Code, to read:
13
(a) There is in the Governor’s office the Task Force
17on New American Integration to provide all of the following:
18(1) On or before January 1, 2015, recommendations to the
19Legislature on protocols and collaboration among governmental
20agencies to streamline resources to assist immigrant integration.
21(2) On or before January 1, 2015, policy recommendations to
22the Legislature on integrating immigrants in the state, including a
23recommendation on the establishment of an Office of New
24Americans.
25(3) No later than six months after the date
when changes in
26federal immigration law occur to authorize undocumented
27immigrants to change their legal status, initial recommendations
28to the Legislature to ensure the state is ready to assist new
29
Americans eligible to change their legal status pursuant to federal
30law.
31(b) (1) The task force shall be comprised of 15 members. On
32or before April 1, 2014, nine members shall be appointed by the
33Governor, three members shall be appointed by the Senate
34begin delete President pro Temporeend deletebegin insert Committee on Rulesend insert, and three members
35shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. In order to be
36eligible for appointment to the task force, an individual shall have
37experience and expertise in immigrant integration.
38(2) Members of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the
39
appropriate appointing power. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy,
P4 1the appointing power shall appoint a replacement within 20 days
2of the vacancy.
3(c) Members of the task force shall not be compensated, but
4shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses to attend meetings.
5(d) The Governor shall select the chair of the task force from
6the members appointed, pursuant to subdivision (b).
7(e) Meetings of the task force shall be subject to the open
8meeting requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
9(Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part
101).
11(f) The task force shall meet at least four times during the
12calendar year and meet
at least once within the Counties of Fresno,
13Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
14(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018,
15and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
16is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.
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