BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER
Senator Fran Pavley, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 1227 Hearing Date: March 29,
2016
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|Author: |Lara | | |
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|Version: |February 18, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Katharine Moore |
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Subject: California Conservation Corps
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps
(corps) in the Natural Resources Agency and requires the corps
to implement and administer the conservation corps program (see
Public Resources Code (PRC) §§14000 et seq.).
The corps was created in 1976 and employs for one year young
adults between the ages of 18 - 25 (veterans up to the age of 29
may participate in some circumstances). The corps offers both
residential and nonresidential programs throughout the state and
aims to, among other things, provide youth with educational and
training opportunities and increase their understanding and
appreciation of the environment (PRC §14000). Much of the
corps' projects are outdoors and corpsmembers help to maintain
California's natural resources by planting trees, and improving
parks and recreation areas, among other activities.
Corpsmembers also may help with emergency response to natural
disasters including, for example, fighting forest fires. Over
120,000 individuals have participated in the program to date
with roughly 3,000 new corpsmembers joining each year.
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 (PRC §14302).
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According to a 2013 report by the California Research Bureau,
California has the largest veteran population at approximately
1.9 million of any state, and over half of the state's veterans
are over the age of 60. While the statewide employment rates
for both female and male veterans of all ages is greater than
for non-veterans, young veterans have higher unemployment rates
(2013 data). Male veterans between the ages of 18 - 24 have a
4% higher unemployment rate than their civilian peers (20.4% vs.
16.4%), and female veterans between the ages of 25 - 34 years of
age have a 3.3% higher unemployment rate (11.6% vs. 8.3%).
For eligible veterans, participating in corps programs is one
method to return to the civilian workforce. According to 2011 -
2016 data from the corps, 554 veterans participated in corps
programs for veterans of which about 57% either found employment
after completion (289) or enrolled in school or returned to the
military (28).
PROPOSED LAW
This bill would require the corps to collaborate with the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the Employment Development
Department to assist any corpsmember who is a veteran to obtain
permanent employment post-corps.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, "SB 1227, the California VET (Veteran
Employment & Training) Initiative would require the [corps] to
collaborate with the California Department of Veterans Affairs
in addition to the Employment Development Department to better
assist corpsmembers who are veterans transition to employment
after completion of the [corps] program."
The author continues that while transition services for
corpsmembers currently exist, existing law provides no specific
direction to the corps on employment assistance for veterans,
and he notes that veterans may face unique transition needs due
to the differences between civilian workplace culture and the
military or multiple combat deployments. The author states that
the Department of Veterans Affairs' experience in helping
veterans makes them best suited to assist the existing efforts
of the corps and Employment Development Department in finding
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work placement for veterans.
"These brave women and men fought for us, it's time that we
fight for them."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
None received
COMMENTS
Double-referred . This bill is double-referred to both the
Senate Natural Resources and Water and Veterans Affairs
Committees. Elements of this bill under the Veterans Affairs
Committee's jurisdiction are included here for context and
completeness.
Existing and previous veterans-specific programs at the corps.
There are existing programs for veterans through the corps that
have successfully provided educational and employment
opportunities for veterans. According to information obtained
from the corps, there are numerous corps crews composed of
veterans active today. There was a successful pilot program in
2011 and current efforts grew out of a partnership with Veterans
Green Jobs (a non-profit organization that helps veterans find
career opportunities in natural resources conservation, clean
and renewable energy and related fields).
There are two current programs - one related to firefighting and
the other to fisheries. The Veterans Fire AmeriCorps - corps
program is part of national AmeriCorps veterans program with
funding for three years. Veterans join this program to obtain
training and work experience to qualify for US Forest Service
firefighting apprenticeship programs. Through mid-March, 2016,
132 veterans have joined and the corps is in the process of
recruiting 60 members for the current year. For the first two
years of the program, over 30% of the veteran corpsmembers
transitioned to US Forest Service employment upon completing the
fire training. Veterans also were hired by other private sector
and governmental agencies. Approximately half of the veterans
participating in this program left before completing the
program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration-corps program for fisheries provides veterans
opportunities to gain training and work experience in habitat
restoration for endangered anadromous fisheries. From 2012 -
2016, 29 veterans participated of which 4 are still active in
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the corps, 16 have found employment and 7 have left the program
early.
Three previous corps programs also served veterans. These
include a 2011 - 2013 corps forestry/fire program that preceded
the current firefighting program which served 339 veterans, a
2012 - 2013 backcountry trails program which included 12
veterans, and a 2012 energy program that included efforts to
reduce energy use in state buildings, and skills training in
energy efficiency and basic electrical work that 42 veterans
participated in.
SUPPORT
American G.I. Forum of California
AMVETS-Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Val Lerch, former Vice Mayor of Long Beach
Military Officers Association of America, California Council of
Chapters
VFW-Department of California
Vietnam Veterans of America-California State Council
Three individuals
OPPOSITION
None Received
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