Amended in Assembly April 6, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 706

Introduced by Assembly Member Bonilla

February 25, 2015

An act to add Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 8400) to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to California AmeriCorps - STEM.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 706, as amended, Bonilla. California AmeriCorps - STEM.

Under existing law, by executive order, California Volunteers 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 begin delete the end delete state government, to be administered by California Volunteers 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, begin insert or public entity end insert to apply, individually or in partnership with a corporation or individual interested in the promotion of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, to California Volunteers, 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 California Volunteers 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:

SECTION 1.  

Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 8400) is
added to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:

 

Chapter  5.6. California AmeriCorps - STEM

 

8400.  

(a) California AmeriCorps - STEM is hereby established
to be administered by California Volunteers, as established by
Executive Order S-24-06. California AmeriCorps - STEM shall
operate under the existing federal AmeriCorps program guidelines.

(b) California AmeriCorps - STEM members shall be selected
through an application process. Eligibility will be based on the
qualifications required for the federal AmeriCorps members, as
of January 1, 2015, and all of the following:

(1) The applicant shall have an associate or a baccalaureate
degree.

(2) The applicant shall provide proof of incurred student loan
debt.

(3) The applicant shall be 21 years of age or older.

(4) The applicant shall provide proof that he or she lives in
California.

(c) A nonprofit corporation that is exempt from federal income
taxation as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code begin insert or public entity end insert may apply, individually
or in partnership with a corporation or individual interested in the
promotion of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
education, to California Volunteers, through a competitive request
for proposal process, to host one or more California AmeriCorps
- STEM members. The purpose of California AmeriCorps - STEM
is to bring more STEM education programs into California schools,
after school programs, and neighborhood and regional centers for
children to prepare the next generation for jobs in the STEM fields.

(d) California Volunteers is authorized to solicit and accept
private funding to help supplement the costs of California
AmeriCorps - STEM. These private funding sources may include,
but are not limited to, foundations, corporate funding, begin delete crowd
funding, end delete begin insert crowdfunding, end insert donation drives, or any other sources of
private investment that may be available.