SB 1227, as amended, Lara. California Conservation Corps.
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps in the Natural Resources Agency and requires the corps to implement and administer the conservation corps program. Existing law requires the corps, in conjunction with the Employment Development Department, to place an emphasis on developing and executing plans to assist corpsmembers in obtaining employment following their participation in the corps program.
This bill would additionally require the corps to collaborate with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Employment Development Department to assist any corpsmember who is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces in obtaining employment after participating in the corps program. The bill would specify that the collaboration efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Employment Development Department shall include, but not be limited to,begin insert providing access toend insert veterans supportive services and workforce services, respectively.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) California has the largest veteran population in the country
4with 1.9 million former servicemen and servicewomen.
5(b) Veterans between the ages of 18 and 34 years have a higher
6unemployment rate than their civilian peers.
7(c) The California Conservation Corps provides young veterans
8with a unique opportunity to transition into the civilian workforce
9and various workforce training opportunities, including maintaining
10hiking trails, planting trees, and assisting in emergency
response
11situations by, among other things, fighting fires, floods,
12earthquakes, and pest infestations.
13(d) By statute, the Employment Development Department,
14working with the California Conservation Corps, provides
15transitional services for all corpsmembers.
16(e) The Department of Veterans Affairs providesbegin insert assistance toend insert
17 accessbegin delete toend delete various supportive services and benefits for veterans,
18includingbegin delete healthcareend deletebegin insert healthcareend insert, tuition assistance, and
home loans.
19(f) Most young veterans do not use the state benefits afforded
20to them through their military service.
21(g) Bringing the Department of Veterans Affairs into the
22transitional process for young veterans exiting the California
23Conservation Corps will connect young veterans with the benefits
24they have earned, support the current efforts of the California
25Conservation Corps and the Employment Development
26Department, and ensure that those young veterans smoothly
27transition from corpsmembership into the civilian workforce.
Section 14302.5 is added to the Public Resources Code,
29to read:
(a) The corps shall collaborate with the Department
31of Veterans Affairs and the Employment Development Department
32to assist any corpsmember who is a veteran of the United States
33Armed Forces in obtaining employment after participating in the
34corps program.
35(b) Collaboration efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs
36shall include, but not be limited to,begin insert providing access toend insert veterans
37supportive services. Collaboration efforts by the Employment
P3 1Development Department shall include, but not be limited to,
2begin insert
providing access toend insert workforce services.
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