California Senate Bill SB23 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 23AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 25, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lara DECEMBER 3, 2012 An act to add  and repeal  Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 12092)  to   of  Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 23, as amended, Lara. Task Force on  Immigrant   New American  Integration. Existing law establishes the Naturalization Services Program, administered within the Department of Community Services and Development, to fund community-based organizations in assisting legal permanent residents in obtaining citizenship. This bill would  , until January 1, 2018,  establish the Task Force on  Immigrant   New American  Integration within the office of the Governor to provide, among other things, recommendations  to the Legislature  on protocols and collaboration among governmental agencies to streamline resources to assist immigrant integration. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following: (a) Immigrants are a vibrant force in California's changing demographics. In 2010, the foreign born represented 13 percent of the United States population and 27 percent called California home. (b) In 2009, 31.4 percent of foreign-born individuals were legal permanent residents and 44 percent were naturalized citizens. (c) Of the foreign-born immigrants who are over 16 years of age, 68 percent participate in the labor force. (d) According to the federal Small Business Administration, 18 percent of all small business owners in the United States are immigrants. According to the Fiscal Policy Institute, small businesses owned by immigrants employed an estimated 4.7 million people in 2007, and according to the latest estimates, these small businesses generated more than $776 billion annually. According to the United States Census Bureau, despite making up only 16 percent of the resident population holding a bachelor's degree or higher, immigrants represent 33 percent of engineers, 27 percent of mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists, and 24 percent of physical scientists. In 2011, foreign-born inventors were credited with contributing to more than 75 percent of patents issued to the top 10 patent-producing universities, according to the Partnership for a New American Economy. (e) Additionally, the purchasing power of Latinos and Asians, many of whom are immigrants, alone will reach $1.5 trillion and $775 billion, respectively, by 2015. And, according to the White House, increased immigration to the United States has increased the earnings of Americans with more than a high school degree. Between 1990 and 2004, increased immigration was correlated with increasing earnings of Americans by 0.7 percent and is expected to contribute to an increase of 1.8 percent over the long term. (f) During the 20th century, the nation launched a movement, involving federal, state, and local governments, businesses, labor unions, schools, and social organizations, to help integrate immigrants into society. Today, however, few programs exist at the federal or state level to accomplish similar objectives. If they exist, they are often uncoordinated amongst themselves. (g) Citizenship and civic participation on the part of all California residents is vital to the economic and societal well-being of the state. (h) It is in the best interest of the state and its residents to establish an Office of New Americans in state government to advocate for, and promote cooperation and understanding between, government agencies and immigrant residents, and to assist immigrants toward naturalization. (i) It is in the best interest of the state to support the ability of all its residents, including immigrants, to be economically self-sufficient, participate in our nation's and state's political process, and develop a sense of responsibility for their community. SEC. 2. Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 12092) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 8.5.  Immigrant   New American  Integration 12092. (a) There is in the Governor's office the Task Force on  Immigrant   New American  Integration to provide  both   all  of the following: (1) On or before January 1, 2015, recommendations  to the Legislature  on protocols and collaboration among governmental agencies to streamline resources to assist immigrant  integration and policy   integration.   (2)     On or before January 1, 2015, policy  recommendations to the Legislature on integrating immigrants in the state, including a recommendation on the establishment of an Office of New Americans.  (2)   (3)  No later than six months after the date when changes in federal immigration law occur to authorize undocumented immigrants to change their legal status, initial recommendations to the Legislature to ensure the state is ready to assist new Americans eligible to change their legal status pursuant to federal law. (b) (1) The task force shall be comprised of 15  members   members. On or before April 1, 2014, nine members shall be  appointed by the Governor  , three members shall be appointed by the Senate President pro Tempore, and three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly   on or before April 1, 2014  . In order to be eligible for appointment to the task force, an individual shall have experience and expertise in immigrant integration. (2) Members of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the  Governor   appropriate appointing power  . Upon the occurrence of a vacancy, the  Governor   appointing power  shall appoint a replacement within 20 days of the vacancy. (c) Members of the task force shall not be compensated, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses to attend meetings. (d) The Governor shall select the chair of the task force from the members appointed, pursuant to subdivision (b). (e) Meetings of the task force shall be subject to the open meeting requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1). (f) The task force shall meet at least four times during the calendar year and meet at least once within the Counties of Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.  (g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.