AB 706, as introduced, Bonilla. California AmeriCorps - STEM.
Under existing law, by executive order, CaliforniaVolunteers is established in the office of the Governor and is charged with overseeing programs and initiatives for service and volunteerism.
This bill would establish California AmeriCorps - STEM in the state government, to be administered by CaliforniaVolunteers and operate under existing federal AmeriCorps program guidelines. This bill would require that California AmeriCorps - STEM members be determined through an application process for eligible college graduates with student loan debt, as specified. This bill would allow a nonprofit corporation, as specified, to apply, individually or in partnership with a corporation or individual interested in the promotion of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, to CaliforniaVolunteers, through a competitive request for proposal process, to host one or more California AmeriCorps - STEM members. This bill would provide that the purpose of California AmeriCorp - STEM is to increase STEM education programs to prepare the next generation for jobs in the STEM fields. This bill would authorize CaliforniaVolunteers to solicit and accept private funding to help supplement the costs of California AmeriCorps - STEM.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 8400) is
2added to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:
3
(a) California AmeriCorps - STEM is hereby established
7to be administered by CaliforniaVolunteers, as established by
8Executive Order S-24-06. California AmeriCorps - STEM shall
9operate under the existing federal AmeriCorps program guidelines.
10(b) California AmeriCorps - STEM members shall be selected
11through an application process. Eligibility will be based on the
12qualifications required for the federal AmeriCorps members, as
13of January 1, 2015, and all of the following:
14(1) The applicant shall have an associate or a baccalaureate
15degree.
16(2) The applicant shall provide proof
of incurred student loan
17debt.
18(3) The applicant shall be 21 years of age or older.
19(4) The applicant shall provide proof that he or she lives in
20California.
21(c) A nonprofit corporation that is exempt from federal income
22taxation as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the
23Internal Revenue Code may apply, individually or in partnership
24with a corporation or individual interested in the promotion of
25science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, to
26CaliforniaVolunteers, through a competitive request for proposal
27process, to host one or more California AmeriCorps - STEM
28members. The purpose of California AmeriCorps - STEM is to
29bring more STEM education programs into California schools,
30after school programs, and neighborhood and regional centers for
31children to prepare the next generation
for jobs in the STEM fields.
32(d) CaliforniaVolunteers is authorized to solicit and accept
33private funding to help supplement the costs of California
34AmeriCorps - STEM. These private funding sources may include,
35but are not limited to, foundations, corporate funding, crowd
P3 1funding, donation drives, or any other sources of private investment
2that may be available.
O
99