BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 23|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 23
Author: Lara (D)
Amended: 5/24/13
Vote: 21
SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE : 4-2, 4/23/13
AYES: Yee, Evans, Liu, Wright
NOES: Berryhill, Emmerson
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 5-2, 5/23/13
AYES: De Le�n, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Gaines
SUBJECT : Task Force on New American Integration
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill directs the Governor to establish the Task
Force on New American Integration (Task Force) to provide, among
other things, policy recommendations on protocols and policies
regarding immigrant integration to the Legislature, as
specified.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Establishes the Immigration and Naturalization Service within
the United States Department of Justice.
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2. Establishes Department of Community Services and Development
(CSD) to employ resources of both private and public sectors
of the state to assist immigrants, the elderly and the poor
to secure meaningful employment, adequate education and other
goals, as specified.
3. Establishes the Naturalization Services Program to be
administered within CSD to provide funding to community-based
organizations to assist legal permanent residents in
obtaining citizenship and to be implemented to the extent
that funds are appropriated for this purpose in the annual
Budget Act.
This bill:
1. Makes a number of legislative findings and declarations
relating to immigrants, their participation in the work
force, and their contribution to the state's economy.
2. Directs the Governor to establish the Task Force to provide
the following:
A. Recommendations to the Legislature on protocols and
collaboration among governmental agencies to streamline
resources to assist immigrant integration on or before
January 1, 2015.
B. Policy recommendations to the Legislature on
integrating immigrants in the state, including a
recommendation on the establishment of an Office of New
Americans (ONA), on or before January 1, 2015.
C. 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 no later
than six months after the date when changes in federal
immigration law occur to authorize undocumented immigrants
to change their legal status.
3. Requires the Task Force be comprised of 15 members appointed
by the Governor on or before April 1, 2014. Nine members
shall be appointed by the Governor, three members shall be
appointed by the Senate Rules Committee, and three members
shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
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4. States that, in order to be eligible for appointment to the
Task Force, an individual shall have experience and expertise
in immigrant integration.
5. Provides that members of the Task Force shall serve at the
pleasure of the appropriate appointing power.
6. Directs the appointing power, upon the occurrence of a
vacancy, to appoint a replacement within 20 days of the
vacancy.
7. Provides that members of the Task Force shall not be
compensated, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses
to attend meetings.
8. Directs the Governor to select the chair of the Task Force
from the members appointed, as specified.
9. States that meetings of the Task Force shall be subject to
the open meeting requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open
Meeting Act, as specified.
10.Requires the Task Force to 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.
11.Provides that these provisions remain in effect only until
January 1, 2018, as specified.
Background
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) . USCIS is the
government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the U.S.
USCIS' strategic goals include strengthening the security and
integrity of the immigration system, supporting immigrants'
integration and participation in American civic culture,
promoting flexible and sound immigration policies and programs,
among other goals.
Immigrant population . In 2010, non-native born residents
represented 13% of the U.S. population and 27% of California's.
In 2009, 31.4% of foreign-born individuals were legal permanent
residents and 44% were naturalized citizens. Of the
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foreign-born immigrants who were over 16 years of age, 68%
participated in the labor force.
According to the federal Small Business Administration, 18% of
all small business owners in the U.S. are immigrants.
In fiscal year 2012, approximately 676,396 individuals were
naturalized and of those 151,183 were Californians.
CSD . When CSD was created under the federal Economic
Opportunity Act of 1964, the Legislature declared that
"California can achieve its full economic and social potential
as a state only if every individual has the opportunity to
contribute the full extent of his or her capabilities and to
participate in the workings of society."
Labor and occupations . Immigrants comprise more than one-third
of California's labor force 34%. In terms of occupations,
immigrants make up 81% of those involved in farming, fishing,
and forestry, 63% of grounds cleaning and maintenance laborers,
58% of production workers, 43% of construction workers, 42% of
food preparation and serving employees, 41% of transportation
workers and 37% of those employed in personal care and service
jobs. About 82% of all Latino and Asian immigrant men of
working age (25-64) are employed, compared with 74% of U.S. born
Latino and Asian men.
Other states . A number of states have created advisory councils
on immigrant integration through executive orders, including
Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington
State. New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo recently launched the
New York State Office for New Americans, to coordinate policies
and programs to help new Americans fully integrate into the
state, provide more and better services to the growing number of
immigrants living in the state, and to study the impact of
immigration policy.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
General Fund (GF) costs in the range of $125,000 to $150,000
annually through December 31, 2017 for two personnel years of
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staff to perform administrative functions related to the Task
Force.
GF costs in the range of $30,000 to $40,000 annually for
four years to reimburse Task Force members for expenses
related to meeting attendance.
Future GF pressure, in the range of $3 million annually, to
support efforts assisting immigrants with the citizenship
process through an ONA, or through other programs that have
historically served a similar function, such as the currently
unfunded Naturalization Services Program.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/25/13)
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council
Central American Resources Center - Los Angeles
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
CREER Organization San Juan Capistrano
Equality California
Filipino American Service Group, Inc.
Metropolitan Community Church in the Valley
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office, on
the eve of national immigration reform, it is vital that
California be ready to receive and successfully help new
Americans integrate because citizenship and civic participation
of all Californians is essential to the economic and societal
well-being of the state. This bill requires California to
establish a task force to provide recommendations on immigrant
integration, implementation of federal immigration reform, and
establishment of an ONA.
JL:k 5/25/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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