BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1840|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1840
Author: Gipson (D), et al.
Amended: 8/1/16 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE LABOR & IND. REL. COMMITTEE: 4-1, 6/29/16
AYES: Mendoza, Jackson, Leno, Mitchell
NOES: Stone
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 55-18, 5/19/16 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: State agencies: interns and student assistants:
hiring preference
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill requires state agencies, when hiring for
internships and student assistant positions, to give preference
to homeless youth and formerly incarcerated youth, as defined.
This bill also requires any application for these positions to
allow the applicant to identify that he or she is eligible for
these preferences, but prohibits the application from requiring
the applicant to identify the specific category that entitles
him or her for eligibility.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
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Page 2
1)Requires state agencies, when hiring for internships and
student assistant positions, to give preference, as defined,
to qualified applicants who are, or have been, dependent
children in foster care. (Government Code §18220)
2)Requires the preference to be granted to applicants up to 26
years of age.
3)Establishes that for the purpose of this section, "preference"
means priority over similarly qualified applicants for
placement in the position.
This bill:
1)Requires state agencies when hiring for internships and
student assistant positions to also give preference to
homeless youth and formerly incarcerated youth.
2)Requires any application for an internship and student
assistant position with a state agency to allow the applicant
to identify that he or she is eligible for these preferences,
but prohibits the application from requiring the applicant to
identify the specific category that entitles him or her for
eligibility.
3)Defines "homeless youth" to mean an applicant up to 26 years
of age, who has been verified as a homeless child or youth, as
defined, by at least one of the following:
a) A homeless services provider, as defined.
b) The director, or his or her designee, of a federal TRIO
program (federal outreach and student services programs for
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds) or a Gaining
Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program.
c) A financial aid administrator.
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4)Defines "formerly incarcerated youth" to mean an individual
who has been sentenced to incarceration in, or the custody of,
the Division of Adult Operations in the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice
in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or county
jail and released from that incarceration or custody before
the individual attained 21 years of age.
Background
State employees are hired under the civil service process, which
includes examinations and the development of job classification
lists. Once an individual is placed on a list, he or she is
eligible for that position classification in various state
agencies. Established by the State Constitution, the State
Personnel Board (SPB) is charged with overseeing the
merit-based, job-related recruitment and selection process for
the hiring of state employees. SPB provides direction to
departments through simplifying civil service laws, rules, and
policies. Unlike state employees, student assistants and interns
are not subject to these civil servant requirements and as such,
individual state agencies are responsible for hiring for these
positions.
Homeless and formerly incarcerated youth stand as two of the
most economically challenged demographics. Improving employment
opportunity is a critical component of providing these youth
with a stable, viable future. In a report by the
California State Library titled, "Voices from the Street: A
Survey of Homeless
Youth by their Peers," it was found that over 90% of the
respondents cited career opportunities as their best chance for
exiting homelessness. Additionally, a study on youth
incarceration, "The Importance of Getting Started Right: Further
Examination of the Facility-to-Community Transition of Formerly
Incarcerated
Youth," found that youth who were able to get a job placement
within six months were significantly less likely to reoffend
within 12 months, which is considered a critical time period for
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gauging long-term recidivism.
According to the author, by providing these youth the
opportunity to gain priority for internships and student
assistant positions, we can ensure that California makes
cost-effective and meaningful efforts to provide on-the-job
training to a critically underserved population. Given the
sustainable life outcomes that are derived from consistent
employment, it is important to use every tool at our disposal.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
SUPPORT: (Verified8/2/16)
California Department of Justice, Attorney General Kamala D.
Harris
California Coalition for Youth
John Burton Foundation
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children &
Youth
OPPOSITION: (Verified8/2/16)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author, youth facing
homelessness often desire to work, but, unlike many of their
peers, may not have access to a professional network, a support
system to provide guidance for entering the workforce, or even
business-appropriate attire. According to proponents, youth
consistently identify employment as one of their top unmet
needs. Even college students struggle to find employment in
competitive markets, where work-study positions are scarce.
While many young people face this challenge, for those
experiencing homelessness, being unemployed can be the
difference between eating and going hungry, or being able to pay
for a safe place to sleep or staying outside or in an situation
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where they are likely to be victimized.
Proponents argue that the experience provided by internships and
student assistant positions can plant these youth securely on a
pathway out of homelessness. By including youth experiencing
homelessness within the existing hiring preference for foster
youth, it recognizes that for these youths, a job is a matter of
basic safety and health. Finally, proponents argue that this
bill is a balanced policy that will help some of California's
most vulnerable young people.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 55-18, 5/19/16
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bloom,
Bonilla, Bonta, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez,
Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Daly, Dodd, Eggman,
Frazier, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson,
Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Roger Hernández, Holden,
Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Lopez, Low, Medina, Mullin,
Nazarian, O'Donnell, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas,
Santiago, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Waldron, Weber, Wilk,
Wood, Rendon
NOES: Travis Allen, Bigelow, Brough, Dahle, Beth Gaines, Gray,
Grove, Hadley, Harper, Irwin, Jones, Maienschein, Mayes,
Melendez, Obernolte, Patterson, Steinorth, Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chang, Gallagher, Linder, Mathis, McCarty,
Olsen, Williams
Prepared by:Alma Perez-Schwab / L. & I.R. / (916) 651-1556
8/3/16 18:36:23
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