BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de León, Chair
AB 2328 (J. Perez) - California AmeriCorps
Amended: June 9, 2014 Policy Vote: GO 10-0
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: August 14, 2014
Consultant: Maureen Ortiz
SUSPENSE FILE. AS AMENDED
Bill Summary: AB 2328 establishes the California AmeriCorps to
be administered by California Volunteers.
Fiscal Impact (as approved on August 14, 2014):
Approximately $180,000 annually for administrative costs
(General)
Program costs in the range of $2 million - $4 million
dependent on the number of participants (Various*)
*The total amount of program costs for stipends and education
awards will be dependent on the number of members and grantees
participating in the program. It is anticipated that the money
will come from a combination of private sources, federal funds,
and a local grantee match. California Volunteers estimates the
need for 2.2 PYs to implement and administer the program for an
estimated 150 members.
Background: Under existing law, by Executive Order S-24-06,
California Volunteers is established in the Governor's Office
with the specific mission to recruit and mobilize citizens for
volunteer service by identifying service opportunities
throughout the state and by recognizing citizen contributions as
volunteers and participants in public service.
AmeriCorps is a national network of hundreds of programs
throughout the United States that engage Americans in intensive
service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and
community and faith-based groups. AmeriCorps consists of three
main programs: AmeriCorps State and National, whose members
serve with national and local nonprofit and community groups;
AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America, through which
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members serve full time fighting poverty; and AmeriCorps
National Civilian Community Corps, a team-based residential
program for young adults ages 18-24 who carry out projects in
public safety, the environment, youth development, and disaster
relief and preparedness.
AmeriCorps service assignments may be part time or full time and
generally range from ten to 12 months. Members receive a $7400
stipend and are eligible for an education award (up to $4725)
that can be used to pay for college or pay back student loans.
To be eligible for a position with AmeriCorps, qualification
guidelines focus on several factors including citizenship, age,
work experience, and education. Additional qualifications may
vary depending on the particular program.
AmeriCorps operates under the Corporation for National and
Community Service, which received about $1 billion in funding
from Congress in 2013, supplemented by $480 million in outside
funding and donations. Individual states can receive financial
support for their own AmeriCorps programs, which California does
through California Volunteers.
Proposed Law: AB 2328 establishes "California AmeriCorps" to be
administered by California Volunteers, within the Governor's
Office, and operated under existing federal AmeriCorps program
guidelines. Specifically, this measure:
1)Establishes Cal AmeriCorps to be administered by California
Volunteers, as established by Executive Order S-24-06, and
operated under the existing federal AmeriCorps program
guidelines.
2)Specifies that members of Cal AmeriCorps shall be determined
through an application process based on existing
qualifications for AmeriCorps members as well as all of the
following requirements: (a) minimum age of 21; (b) proof of
California residency; (c) completion of an associate or a
baccalaureate degree; and, (d) proof of incurred student loan
debt.
3)Allows local agencies to apply individually, in partnership
with a nonprofit entity, or with a local agency partner,
through a competitive request for proposal process, to host
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one or more Cal AmeriCorps members to implement various
programs.
4)Authorizes California Volunteers to solicit and accept private
funding, as specified, to help supplement the costs of Cal
AmeriCorps.
Staff Comments: This measure would establish Cal AmeriCorps to
be administered by California Volunteers and operated under the
existing federal AmeriCorps program guidelines. Cal AmeriCorps
members would be determined through an application process and
would have certain eligibility requirements. Local entities
would compete to host service members through a request for
proposal (RFP) process. The purpose of Cal AmeriCorps would be
to assist local governments in implementing priorities detailed
in the RFP.
Amendments (as adopted on August 14, 2014): Prohibit the use of
General Fund monies for program costs.