Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 158

Introduced by Senators Pan and De León

June 30, 2016

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 158—Relative to Promise Zones.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 158, as introduced, Pan. Promise Zones.

This measure would encourage the State Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Food and Agriculture to give federally designated Promise Zones priority consideration and preferred access to, and competitive preferences for, state funding, resources, and programs. The measure would urge California to explore implementation of models developed by federal programs that give preferences to Promise Zones.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, A child’s ZIP Code should never determine his or
her destiny; and

WHEREAS, Today, the community a child grows up in greatly
impacts his or her odds of graduating from high school, health
outcomes, and economic opportunities; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, President Obama announced the
establishment of the Promise Zones Initiative to partner with
high-poverty communities across the nation to create jobs, increase
economic security, expand educational opportunities, increase
access to affordable quality housing, and improve public safety;
and

WHEREAS, On January 8, 2014, President Obama designated
Los Angeles, California, as one of the nation’s first Promise Zones
and on April 28, 2015, designated Sacramento, California, as a
Promise Zone. This spring, President Obama will announce the
third round of Promise Zone designations; and

WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone designation must have a
contiguous geography, an overall poverty rate at or above 33
percent, a high unemployment rate, and a low high school
graduation rate; and

WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone has identified clear outcomes
to pursue in order to revitalize its community with a focus on
creating jobs, increasing economic activity, improving educational
opportunities, reducing violent crime, and becoming a national
model for other struggling communities; and

WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone will continuously track its
progress and share its data with community partners, including,
but not limited to, private sector, nonprofit, federal, state, and local
agencies, so that each partner can work towards improvement and
accountability within the Promise Zone; and

WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone will receive competitive
preference and priority consideration to access federal programs
and resources within the United States Department of Education,
the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,
the United States Department of Justice, and the United States
Department of Agriculture to supplement local efforts as it works
toward its goals; and

WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone will be provided five full-time
AmeriCorps VISTA members to support its strategic plan. These
VISTA members will recruit and manage volunteers and strengthen
the capacity of the Promise Zone to expand economic
opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone designation will be for a term
of 10 years and President Obama has proposed tax cuts on hiring
and investment in areas designated as Promise Zones to attract
businesses and create jobs; and

WHEREAS, As outcomes are achieved and best practices are
developed, federal agencies will consider expanding improvements
in the delivery of federal funding and services to other communities
seeking similar opportunities and results; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature encourages the State
Department of Education, the Department of Housing and
Community Development, the Department of Justice, and the
Department of Food and Agriculture to give priority consideration
and preferred access to state programs and resources to federally
designated Promise Zones in California that support job creation
and economic security, expand educational opportunities, increase
access to affordable quality housing, and improve public safety;
and be it further

Resolved, That the State Department of Education, the
Department of Housing and Community Development, the
Department of Justice, and the Department of Food and Agriculture
should consider giving Promise Zones competitive preferences for
state funding and programs; and be it further

Resolved, That California should explore implementation of the
same models that have been developed by the federal programs
that give preferences to Promise Zones; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.