BILL ANALYSIS
AB 127
Page 1
Date of Hearing: January 21, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 127 (Jeffries) - As Amended: January 4, 2010
Policy Committee: Business and
Professions Vote: 11 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill repeals the Office for Citizen Initiative and
Voluntary Action and establishes the Office of California
Volunteers within the governor's office. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Codifies the Office of California Volunteers within the
governor's office.
2)Requires the office, in cooperation with the Health and Human
Services Agency, the California Emergency Management Agency
(CalEMA), 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 CalEMA.
4)Establishes the Secretary of Service and Volunteering, who
shall be appointed by the governor.
5)Establishes the California Volunteers 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
7)Requires the honorary chairperson or commissioners to serve
without compensation, but allows per diem or reimbursement for
AB 127
Page 2
travel expenses, as appropriate.
8)Provides that no more than 50% of the commission, plus one
member, shall be from the same political party.
FISCAL EFFECT
Annual costs of $34 million ($1 million GF) to maintain the
Office of California Volunteers at its current funding level.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author this bill is intended to
codify the executive order establishing the California
Volunteers, a state office that manages programs and
initiatives to increase the number of Californians involved
with service and volunteering.
2)Governor's Proposal . The governor's 2010-2011 budget proposal
includes the creation of a new California Agency on Service
and Volunteering. That proposal maintains the current funding
level for the Office of California Volunteers, despite the
creation of the cabinet secretary position.
3)Background . This bill would codify Governor Schwarzenegger's
2006 Executive Order (EO) S-24-06, which renamed the
California Service Corps to California Volunteers, recognizes
the First Lady as the honorary chair, and allows for travel
reimbursement and per diem for the First Lady or
commissioners, as appropriate.
Historically, California state governors have issued
non-controversial executive orders on the subject of
volunteerism, especially following the passage in 1993 of the
National and Community Service Trust Act (NCSTA) of 1993,
which required each state governor to create and appoint a
commission to administer the Americorps volunteer program.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
AB 127
Page 3