BILL NUMBER: AJR 12	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia, Brown, and Roger
Hernández
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chiu, Cristina Garcia, Gonzalez, and
Rendon)

                        MARCH 24, 2015

   Relative to the H-1B Visa program.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 12, as introduced, Eduardo Garcia. H-1B Visa program: Southern
California Edison Company.
   This measure would urge the United States Department of Labor and
the Congress of the United States to investigate alleged misuse of
the H1-B Visa program by Southern California Edison Company.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, The H-1B Visa program allows businesses to temporarily
hire highly skilled foreign workers with specialized knowledge where
a qualified United States worker cannot be found; and
   WHEREAS, The H-1B Visa program was never intended to be used as a
catalyst for lying off United State's workers and replacing them with
H-1B workers; and
   WHEREAS, The granting of H-1B Visas should never result in the
creation of a virtual pipeline for outsourcing United States
workforce jobs; and
   WHEREAS, California's average unemployment rate in January 2015
was 6.9 percent with Imperial County's unemployment rate being 20.6
percent; and
   WHEREAS, Southern California Edison Company is reported to be
misusing the federal H-1B Visa program to replace 400 California
workers; and
   WHEREAS, Southern California Edison Company has admitted that
these laid-off workers are being replaced by overseas consulting
services; and
   WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 477 (Chapter 711 of the Statutes of 2014)
seeks to end the exploitation of foreign, temporary, nonimmigrant
workers brought to California under various federal work visa
programs; and
   WHEREAS, Displaced American workers are being exploited through
the misapplication of the H-1B Visa program; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature respectfully urge the
United States Department of Labor and the Congress of the United
States to investigate this alleged misuse of the H1-B Visa program by
Southern California Edison Company; and be it further
   Resolved, That Southern California Edison Company is urged to
discontinue the practice of replacing California employees with
foreign workers under this, or any other, program; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the
Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and each Senator and
Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.