BILL ANALYSIS
AB 127
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Date of Hearing: January 12, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
Mary Hayashi, Chair
AB 127 (Jeffries) - As Amended: January 4, 2010
SUBJECT : Volunteer service: Office of California Volunteers
and California Volunteers Commission.
SUMMARY : Repeals the Office for Citizen Initiative and
Voluntary Action (OCIVA) and establishes the Office of
California Volunteers (Office) within the Governor's Office.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Specifies the duties and responsibilities of the Office.
2)Requires the Office, in cooperation with the Health and Human
Services Agency, the California Emergency Management Agency
(CEMA), and nonprofit volunteer organizations, to ensure the
coordination of volunteer activities related to disaster
response and recovery, including necessary training,
equipment, and transportation provisions.
3)Requires the Office to coordinate monetary donations during
times of disaster in cooperation with CEMA.
4)Establishes the Secretary of Service and Volunteering, who
shall be appointed by the Governor.
5)Establishes the California Volunteers Commission (Commission)
and specifies eligibility, term, and requirements for
commissioners. The Commission shall not exceed 25 members.
6)Allows the First Lady or First Gentleman of California to
serve as the Commission's Honorary Chairperson (HC).
7)Requires the HC or commissioners to serve without
compensation, but allows per diem or reimbursement for travel
expenses, as appropriate.
8)Provides that no more than 50% of the Commission, plus one
member, shall be from the same political party.
EXISTING STATE LAW :
AB 127
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1)Establishes the California State Government Volunteers Act.
2)Establishes OCIVA within the Governor's Office.
3)Establishes a 9-member advisory body, the Public Employee
Review Committee, within OCIVA to analyze OCIVA, make
recommendations and prepare an annual report for the
Legislature.
EXISTING FEDERAL LAW establishes the National and Community
Service Trust Act (NCSTA) of 1993, which requires each state
governor to create and appoint a commission to administer the
Americorps volunteer program.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office,
"California Volunteers (CV) is a state agency established by
executive order that manages programs and initiatives to
increase the number of Californians involved with service and
volunteering. AB 127 would, by statute, establish the Office of
California Volunteers with the office of the Governor."
Background . This bill would codify Governor Schwarzenegger's
2006 Executive Order (EO) S-24-06, which renamed the California
Service Corps to CV, recognizes the First Lady as the HC of CV,
and allows for travel reimbursement and per diem for the First
Lady or CV Commissioners, as appropriate. AB 127 also allows
for a First Gentleman to serve in the capacity as CV's HC.
Historically, California state governors have issued
non-controversial EOs on the subject of volunteerism following
the passage of the 1993 NCSTA, mainly to rename the state
volunteer organization.
In 1994, Governor Pete Wilson signed EO W-77-94, creating the
Commission on Improving Life Through Service. Since the
commission's inception, each First Lady of California has served
as the state volunteer commission's HC.
In 2001, Governor Gray Davis renamed the organization as the
Governor's Office On Service and Volunteerism (GO SERV). In
August 2004, the organization was renamed the California Service
AB 127
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Corps.
In December 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed EO S-24-06,
renaming the organization CV and charging CV with the
coordination of volunteer activities related to disaster
response and recovery, including necessary training, equipment,
and transportation provisions. In February 2008, Governor
Schwarzenegger signed EO S-02-08 to establish the Cabinet-level
position of Secretary of Service and Volunteering.
CV is the state office charged with managing programs and
initiatives to increase the number and impact of Californians
involved with service and volunteering, including the state
AmeriCorps program, California Citizen Corps, Disaster Corps,
California Green Job Corps, Business Partners Program and the
Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning. The CV Web site,
CaliforniaVolunteers.org, lists more than 45,000 volunteer
opportunities throughout the state involving the arts,
education, animals, disaster preparedness, the environment, and
other areas of interest.
It is unclear presently whether this legislation is necessary.
Current statute establishes OCIVA, and CV presently has
authority to operate under EO S-25-06; no further legislative
action is required to keep CV operating.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Joanna Gin / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301