Amended in Senate June 11, 2015

Amended in Assembly April 6, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 706


Introduced by Assembly Member Bonilla

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Baker, Dodd, Eduardo Garcia, Rodriguez, and Salas)

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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 tobegin delete California AmeriCorps - STEM.end deletebegin insert California Volunteers.end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 706, as amended, Bonilla. begin deleteCalifornia AmeriCorps - STEM. end deletebegin insertCalifornia Volunteers.end insert

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.

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This bill would authorize California Volunteers, for so long as it is authorized to exist, to form a tax-exempt public benefit nonprofit corporation, or other tax-exempt entity, qualified under federal and state law to raise revenues and receive grants or other financial support from private or public sources, for the purposes of undertaking or funding any lawful activity authorized to be undertaken by California Volunteers. This bill would require the nonprofit corporation or other tax-exempt entity to use the financial support it seeks to be used solely for the governmental purposes approved by California Volunteers for activities within the scope of authority of California Volunteers.

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This bill wouldbegin insert alsoend insert establish California AmeriCorps - STEM in 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 graduatesbegin delete with student loan debt,end deletebegin insert or students,end insert as specified. This bill would allow a nonprofit corporation, as specified, orbegin insert aend insert public entity 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 Californiabegin delete AmeriCorpend deletebegin insert AmeriCorpsend insert - 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:

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SECTION 1.  

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

3 

4Chapter  5.6. begin deleteCalifornia AmeriCorps - STEM end deletebegin insertCalifornia
5Volunteersend insert
6

 

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7

begin insert8400.end insert  

(a) California Volunteers, as established by Executive
8Order S-24-06, is authorized to form a tax-exempt public benefit
9nonprofit corporation, or other tax-exempt entity, qualified under
10federal and state law to raise revenues and receive grants or other
11financial support from private or public sources, for the purposes
12of undertaking or funding any lawful activity authorized to be
13undertaken by California Volunteers. Financial support sought
14by the nonprofit corporation or other tax-exempt entity shall be
15used solely for the governmental purposes approved by California
16Volunteers for activities within the scope of authority of California
17Volunteers.

P3    1(b) The authority granted in subdivision (a) shall expire if the
2governor rescinds Executive Order S-24-06 or otherwise rescinds
3the establishment of California Volunteers.

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4

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5begin insert8405.end insert  

(a) California AmeriCorps - STEM is hereby established
6to be administered by California Volunteers, as established by
7Executive Order S-24-06. California AmeriCorps - STEM shall
8operate under the existing federal AmeriCorps program guidelines.

9(b) California AmeriCorps - STEM members shall be selected
10through an application process. Eligibilitybegin delete willend deletebegin insert shallend insert be based on
11the qualifications required for the federal AmeriCorps members,
12as of January 1, 2015, and all of the following:

13(1) The applicant shall have an associate or a baccalaureate
14begin delete degree.end deletebegin insert degree or be enrolled in a two-year or four-year
15postsecondary institution.end insert

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16(2) The applicant shall provide proof of incurred student loan
17debt.

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18(3)

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19begin insert(2)end insert The applicant shall bebegin delete 21end deletebegin insert 18end insert years of age or older.

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20(4)

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21begin insert(3)end insert The applicant shall provide proof that he or she lives in
22California.

23(c) A nonprofit corporation that is exempt from federal income
24taxation as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the
25Internal Revenue Code orbegin insert aend insert public entity may apply, individually
26or in partnership with a corporation or individual interested in the
27promotion of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
28education, to California Volunteers, through a competitive request
29for proposal process, to host one or more California AmeriCorps
30- STEM members. The purpose of California AmeriCorps - STEM
31is to bring more STEM education programs into California schools,
32begin insert expanded learning programs,end insert after school programs, and
33neighborhood and regional centers for childrenbegin insert in orderend insert to prepare
34 the next generation for jobs in the STEM fields.

35(d) California Volunteers is authorized to solicit and accept
36private funding to help supplement the costs of California
37AmeriCorps - STEM. These private funding sources may include,
38but are not limited to, foundations, corporate funding,
P4    1crowdfunding, donation drives, or any other sources of private
2investment that may be available.



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