BILL NUMBER: AB 706 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 31, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 11, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 6, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Baker, Dodd, Eduardo Garcia,
Rodriguez, and Salas)
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
CaliforniaVolunteers.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 706, Bonilla. CaliforniaVolunteers.
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 authorize CaliforniaVolunteers, 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 CaliforniaVolunteers. 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 CaliforniaVolunteers for activities within the scope of
authority of CaliforniaVolunteers.
This bill would also establish California AmeriCorps - STEM in
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
selected through an application process for eligible college
graduates or students, as specified. This bill would allow a
nonprofit corporation, as specified, or a 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 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 AmeriCorps - 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.
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. CALIFORNIAVOLUNTEERS
8400. (a) CaliforniaVolunteers, as established by Executive Order
S-24-06, is authorized 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 CaliforniaVolunteers. Financial support sought by the
nonprofit corporation or other tax-exempt entity shall be used solely
for the governmental purposes approved by CaliforniaVolunteers for
activities within the scope of authority of CaliforniaVolunteers. The
mission of the nonprofit corporation or other tax-exempt entity is
as follows:
(1) To support the funding of California AmeriCorps - STEM
programming and administrative costs.
(2) To support any priorities set forth by the Governor or the
CaliforniaVolunteers board of commissioners.
(b) The authority granted in subdivision (a) shall expire if the
governor rescinds Executive Order S-24-06 or otherwise rescinds the
establishment of CaliforniaVolunteers.
8405. (a) California AmeriCorps - STEM is hereby established to
be administered by CaliforniaVolunteers, as established by Executive
Order S-24-06. California AmeriCorps - STEM shall operate under the
existing federal AmeriCorps program guidelines.
(b) (1) California AmeriCorps - STEM members shall be selected
through an application process. Eligibility shall be based on the
qualifications required for the federal AmeriCorps members, as of
January 1, 2015, and all of the following:
(A) The applicant shall have an associate or a baccalaureate
degree or be enrolled in a two-year or four-year postsecondary
institution.
(B) The applicant shall be 18 years of age or older.
(C) The applicant shall provide proof that he or she lives in
California.
(2) For the first three years in which California AmeriCorps -
STEM members are selected, no more than 40 members shall be selected
per year. For the fourth year, and each year thereafter, the amount
of members selected may increase or decrease in size depending on the
amount of available funds collected by the foundation established by
this chapter.
(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 or a public entity may 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. The purpose of California AmeriCorps - STEM is to bring more
STEM education programs into California schools, expanded learning
programs, after school programs, and neighborhood and regional
centers for children in order to prepare the next generation for jobs
in the STEM fields.
(d) CaliforniaVolunteers 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, crowdfunding, donation
drives, or any other sources of private investment that may be
available. No more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in
moneys received from the state per year shall, upon appropriation by
the Legislature, be spent for administrative costs of the foundation
established by this chapter.
(e) General Fund moneys shall not be used for California
AmeriCorps - STEM programs.