BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 706
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
706 (Bonilla)
As Amended April 6, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Accountability |9-0 |Salas, Lackey, | |
| | |Brough, Burke, | |
| | |Frazier, Beth | |
| | |Gaines, Irwin, | |
| | |Medina, Rodriguez | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Appropriations |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, | |
| | |Eggman, Gallagher, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
| | |Gordon, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Quirk, | |
| | |Rendon, Wagner, | |
| | |Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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AB 706
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SUMMARY: Establishes the California AmeriCorps Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math (Cal AmeriCorps STEM) program in
state government. Specifically, this bill:
1)Creates Cal AmeriCorps STEM to be administered by California
Volunteers (Cal Volunteers), an entity in the Governor's Office
established by Executive Order S-24-06.
2)Requires Cal AmeriCorps STEM to operate under the existing
federal AmeriCorps guidelines.
3)Specifies that members of Cal AmeriCorps STEM must be selected
through an application process and establishes eligibility
criteria based on the existing qualifications for federal
AmeriCorps and all of the following:
a) The applicant must have an associate or a bachelor's
degree;
b) The applicant must provide proof of incurred student loan
debt;
c) The applicant must be 21 years of age or older; and,
d) The applicant must provide proof that he or she lives in
California.
4)Allows nonprofits or public entities to apply, individually or
in conjunction with corporations or individuals interested in
promoting STEM education, to Cal Volunteers to host Cal
AmeriCorps STEM members through a competitive request for
proposal process.
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5)Declares the purpose of Cal AmeriCorps STEM is to bring more
STEM education programs into California schools, after school
programs, and local communities to prepare the next generation
for jobs in STEM fields.
6)Authorizes Cal Volunteers to solicit and accept private funding
from a variety of sources to help supplement the costs of Cal
AmeriCorps STEM.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)On-going administrative costs to Cal Volunteers estimated at
$180,000 General Fund for 2.2 Personal Years to implement and
administer the program for an estimated 150 members and 10
additional grantees.
2)Significant on-going program costs in the range of $2 million to
$4 million, depending on the number of participants, to provide
stipends and education awards to program members (Various
funds). It is anticipated that the money will come from a
combination of private sources, federal funds, and a local
grantee match.
COMMENTS: AmeriCorps is a national network of hundreds of
programs throughout the United States that engage Americans in
intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public
agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country.
Service members receive a $7,400 stipend and are eligible for an
education award that can be used to pay for college or pay back
student loans. Several factors, including citizenship, age, work
experience, and education, are considered when qualifying for a
position with AmeriCorps. Additional eligibility requirements
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vary depending on the particular program.
California receives federal financial support for its AmeriCorps
program through Cal Volunteers. Cal Volunteers was established
with the specific mission to recruit and mobilize citizens for
volunteer service by identifying service opportunities throughout
the state. This bill tasks Cal Volunteers with administering Cal
AmeriCorps STEM.
According to the author, only one of the many environmental,
educational, mentoring, and social support programs currently
administered and funded by Cal Volunteers has a STEM focus. The
author points out that there is a tremendous need for expanding
STEM-specific programming in California in response to data
showing that the state's eighth graders are below the national
average in science and math test scores. The author states this
bill is intended to facilitate early engagement in STEM-related
projects to better prepare college students for careers in STEM
fields that are vital to the state's economy.
Analysis Prepared by:
Cassie Royce / A. & A.R. / (916) 319-3600 FN:
0000625
AB 706
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