BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 537
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 537 (Correa)
As Amended July 13, 2011
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :39-0
VETERANS AFFAIRS 9-0 EDUCATION 9-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Cook, Pan, Atkins, Block, |Ayes:|Brownley, Norby, |
| |Nielsen, V. Manuel P�rez, | |Buchanan, Butler, Carter, |
| |Williams, Yamada, Beth | |Eng, Beth Gaines, Wagner, |
| |Gaines | |Williams |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, | | |
| |Blumenfield, Bradford, | | |
| |Charles Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, | | |
| |Hall, Hill, Lara, | | |
| |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, | | |
| |Solorio, Wagner | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : This bill allows expansion of the existing California
Cadet Corps program. Specifically, this bill :
1)Allows warrant officers and non-commissioned officers to be
appointed by the Adjutant General as commandants, or assistant
commandants of students.
2)Includes warrant officers and non-commissioned officers in all
the sections that currently apply to commissioned officers,
i.e.,:
a) Placing them under the same jurisdiction as commissioned
officers in relation to schools;
SB 537
Page 2
b) Subjecting them to rules, regulations, grade, and rank
determined by the Adjutant General;
c) Allowing those with prior service and honorable
discharge to be appointed;
d) Requiring a uniform as prescribed by the Adjutant
General not to be inconsistent with the rules and
regulations of the United States Army;
e) Subjecting them to duty at encampments and exercises;
and,
f) Receiving similar pay to active duty equivalent ranks.
3)Allows the Governor to appoint special project officers,
commissioned and non-commissioned upon recommendation of the
Adjutant General.
4)Permits the Adjutant General to adopt the rules and
regulations for promotion of these positions.
5)Allows warrant officers and non-commissioned officers to be
appointed by the commandant of cadets with the approval of the
president, director, chief administrative officer, or
principal of the institution in question.
6)Allows the Adjutant General to order these officers,
commissioned and non-commissioned to temporary state active
duty.
7)Allows presidents, directors, chief administrative officers,
or principals of the institution in question to remove a
student from the Cadet Corps for any reason deemed to be good
cause.
8)Allows rifles to be purchased for marksmanship training.
9)Allows the Cadet Corps to utilize California National Guard
facilities for training purposes whenever practical.
10)Alters the unit inspection period from annual to every two
years or every year for those units which receive an
unsatisfactory inspection.
SB 537
Page 3
11)Deletes the requirement that the Oakland Military Institute
be a non-residential program.
12) Authorizes the Adjutant General to enter into a
cooperative agreement with the governing board of a school
district or a county office of education for the purpose of
establishing, pursuant to existing statutory authority in
the Education Code, a military academy to be operated as a
charter school, pursuant to Part 26.8 (commencing with
Section 47600) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education
Code, or as one of the existing alternative education
options, available under the Education Code. Additional
youth programs beyond the California Cadet Corps may only
be established if budget appropriations are made therefor.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
Minor direct General Fund/Proposition 98 (GF/98)
costs. The department would absorb any marginal costs
that result in new CACC programs, and the
authorization for new military academy charter
schools would be funded largely within existing Prop
98 and local school district budgets.
In addition, this bill specifies that no new National
Guard youth program, including military charter
schools, may be established unless funds are
specifically appropriated for this purpose.
Notwithstanding the appropriation caveat, however,
this bill creates potential GF/98 cost pressure in
that it creates additional responsibilities for the
Military Department, which receives about $7 million
from the state GF for its youth programs, including
the Oakland Military Institute (OMI) charter school
in Oakland.
COMMENTS : The California Cadet Corps, founded in 1911, is a
school-based program conducted with a military framework and
provides growth and leadership opportunities for California
students. The program is offered through schools and can be
taken for credit. As part of their training, cadets provide
SB 537
Page 4
assistance and support to their school and their communities.
There are currently about 6,500 cadets. The Military Department
provides administrative oversight and logistical support to
ensure the cadets receive uniforms, supplies, equipment, and
training materials.
The Cadet Corps is fully integrated as part of the existing
school curriculum providing specialized academic performance,
and military style training addressing problematic behavior,
substandard academic performance, and other at risk factors.
The program stresses six objectives: support and enhance
academic achievement, provide opportunities for leadership,
foster good citizenship, enhance patriotism, provide basic
military knowledge, and promote health, fitness, and wellness.
According to the State of California Military Department:
1)86% of California Cadet Corps graduates pursue higher
education. About 3% join the United States Armed Forces.
2)California Cadet Corps cadets attend school at a rate 3.8%
higher than their non-cadet counterparts.
3)Cadets experience serious disciplinary infractions
significantly less often than their non-cadet counterparts.
4)Cadets earn an average of 0.54 grade points higher than their
non-cadet counterparts.
5)Cadets score significantly higher on a nationally-normed
assessment of leadership skills than students in grades 4-12
not enrolled in the Cadet program.
6)Cadets outperform by eight percentile points their non-cadet
counterparts on the Fitnessgram, the assessment of Fitness and
Wellness administered by California schools.
7)Cadets report significant gains in patriotic spirit,
leadership development, and preparation for college and
careers.
This bill (section 23) changes the present inspection
requirement for California Cadet Corps units from annual to
every two years. Units receiving a superior or satisfactory
SB 537
Page 5
inspection rating will not be inspected the following year.
Units receiving an unsatisfactory rating will be re-inspected
the following year. New units will receive an assistance visit.
The bill authorizes additional military academies similar to the
Oakland Military institute. The stated goal of these would be,
"?�to] provide a structured, disciplined environment that would
be conducive to learning in a college preparatory environment."
Any new California National Guard Youth Program, except for the
California Cadet Corps, may only be established if funds are
appropriated for purposes of the new program in the annual
Budget Act or any other act.
Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550
FN:
0002229