California Assembly Bill AJR12 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AJR 12AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia, Brown, and Roger Hernndez (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chiu, Cristina Garcia, Gonzalez, and Rendon) MARCH 24, 2015 Relative to the H-1B Visa program. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AJR 12, as amended, Eduardo Garcia. H-1B Visa program:  Southern California Edison Company.   investigation of misuse.  This measure would urge the United States Department of Labor and the Congress of the United States to investigate alleged misuse of the H1-B Visa  program by Southern California Edison Company.   program.  Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, The H-1B Visa program allows businesses to temporarily hire highly skilled foreign workers with specialized knowledge where a qualified United States worker cannot be found; and WHEREAS, The H-1B Visa program was never intended to be used as a catalyst for  lying   laying  off United  State's   States   '  workers and replacing them with H-1B workers; and WHEREAS, The granting of H-1B Visas should never result in the creation of a virtual pipeline for outsourcing United States workforce jobs; and WHEREAS, California's average unemployment rate in January 2015 was 6.9 percent with Imperial County's unemployment rate being 20.6 percent; and WHEREAS,  Southern California Edison Company is reported to be   Some companies are  misusing the federal H-1B Visa program  , including the documented misuse by one California public utility  to replace 400 California workers; and  WHEREAS, Southern California Edison Company has admitted that these laid-off workers are being replaced by overseas consulting services; and  WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 477 (Chapter 711 of the Statutes of 2014) seeks to end the exploitation of foreign, temporary, nonimmigrant workers brought to California under various federal work visa programs; and WHEREAS, Displaced American workers are being exploited through the misapplication of the H-1B Visa program; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature respectfully  urge   urges  the United States Department of Labor and the Congress of the United States to investigate this alleged misuse of the H1-B Visa  program by Southern California Edison Company;   program;  and be it further Resolved, That  Southern California Edison Company is urged to discontinue   any company that has engaged   in this improper practice is urged to immediately cease  the practice of replacing California employees with foreign workers under this, or any other, program; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.