BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1840
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
1840 (Gipson)
As Amended August 1, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |55-18 |(May 19, 2016) |SENATE: |27-10 |(August 15, |
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Original Committee Reference: L. & E.
SUMMARY: Requires state agencies, when hiring for internships
and student assistant positions, to give preference to homeless
youth and formerly incarcerated youth, as defined.
1)Requires any application for an internship and student
assistant position with a state agency to allow the applicant
to identify that the applicant is eligible for these
preferences, but would prohibit the application from requiring
the applicant to identify the specific category that entitles
him or her for eligibility.
2)Establishes for the purpose of this section, "Homeless youth"
means an applicant up to 26 years of age, who has been
verified as a homeless child or youth, as defined.
3)Establishes for the purpose of this section, "Formerly
incarcerated youth" means an individual who has been sentenced
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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.
The Senate amendments are minor and technical and add a
coauthor.
EXISTING LAW:
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.
2)Requires the preference to be granted to applicants up to 26
years of age.
3)Establishes for the purpose of this section, "preference"
means priority over similarly qualified applicants for
placement in the position.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS: The purpose of this bill is to improve long-term
employment outcomes for current and former homeless and formerly
incarcerated youth, by positioning them to be hired as student
assistants and interns in state agencies.
The author argues that homeless and formerly incarcerated youth
stand as two of the most economically challenged demographics,
with an incredible degree of intersectionality. Improving
employment opportunity has long been understood as a critical
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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
gauging long-term recidivism.
Background on Student Assistant and Intern Positions in State
Government
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. According to the State Personnel Board, the state
establishes a preference in hiring for veterans. Specifically,
veterans receive additional points on their examinations.
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. The hiring process for student assistance and
interns is merit-based.
Arguments in Support
This bill is supported by the National Association for the
Education of Homeless Children and Youth. They state that,
"Consistently, youth 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.
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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
where they are likely to be victimized. Without any income,
youth are unable to purchase food or clothing, pay for shelter,
ride a bus, or keep themselves safe.
"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 youth, a job is a matter of basic
safety and health. This bill is a balanced policy that will
help some of California's most vulnerable young people."
There is no known opposition on file
Analysis Prepared by:
Taylor Jackson / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091 FN:
0003691