California 2015 2015-2016 Regular Session

California Senate Bill SB10 Amended / Bill

Filed 06/02/2015

 BILL NUMBER: SB 10AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 2, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lara DECEMBER 1, 2014 An act to add Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section  12099.10)   12100.10)  to Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to immigration. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 10, as amended, Lara. Immigration: Governor's Office of New Americans. 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 establish the Office of New Americans in the Governor's  office   office, administered by a director appointed by the Governor,  for the purpose of, among other things, coordinating an ongoing multiagency, multisector public and private effort to provide information and services to new Americans, overseeing the creation of a statewide  strategic  plan for the coordination and implementation of any presidential executive action on immigration reform or federal comprehensive immigration reform, and providing outreach, education, and fraud prevention services to the new American population.  The bill would require the office to develop and report a comprehensive statewide assessment of integration programs, services, and funding, and a statewide strategic plan for integration of California's new Americans, to the Governor and Legislature, on or before July 1, 2016. The bill would also require the office to develop an online clearinghouse of immigrant integration information, including services, resources, and programs. The bill would also create the Office of New Americans Fund, would authorize the office to receive private donations, and would require those donations to be deposited into the fund, which, upon appropriation, would fund the cost of establishing the office and performing   the duties described above.  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 finds and declares all of the following: (a) An estimated 2.6 million Californians are undocumented immigrants. One in six children lives with an undocumented parent. Eighty percent of these children are native born United States citizens who stand to benefit from increased family stability and economic security. (b)  President Obama has recently decided to employ   Last year, President Obama implemented an  executive action to expand deferred action on millions of Americans. This population will need assistance with  understanding eligibility,  accessing  resources   resources,  and completing the requisite applications for deferred action.  (c) Unfortunately, even with this expanded relief, half of California's undocumented residents, more than one million people, are still excluded. Those Californians excluded from relief are an integral part of California's communities and workforce, and share households with citizens, lawful permanent residents, and immigrants who are eligible to apply for deportation protection. Yet, those community members who are left behind will continue to face the threat of family separation and deportation. Any statewide immigrant integration strategy must reflect and protect the needs of this important population.   (c)   (d)  California, which has the largest undocumented population in the nation, has more to gain from immigration reform than any other state. California's future depends on our ability to successfully integrate immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, into the  state's  economic, social, and political fabric.  (d)   (e)  One in 11 workers is an undocumented immigrant. Legalization will allow undocumented immigrants to join the formal economy and increase their economic contributions. Studies show that immigrants are better off, by almost any economic measure, after gaining legal status and citizenship. And what is good for California' s undocumented residents is good for the state.  (e)   (f) Immigrant workers are important to our state's economy. Studies show that immigrant workers contribute about 31 percent of California's gross domestic product (GDP). Undocumented immigrants in our state contribute about $130 billion of California's GDP, which is a figure greater than the entire GDP of the state of  Nevada.   Nevada, and contribute more than $3.2 billion in state and local taxes.   (f)   (g)  Immigrant households also make up 27 percent of the total household income in California, representing a substantial share of all spending power in this state.  (g) The success of a large-scale legalization program will depend significantly upon the coordination of a multiagency, multisector, statewide public and private effort to provide undocumented immigrants accurate, accessible information and services. The state must develop a coordinated effort that leverages public and private resources to provide education, fraud prevention services, application assistance, legal services, English instruction, and civics classes to undocumented immigrants.   (h) There are 1,214,000 undocumented immigrants in California who are potentially eligible for deferred action under President Obama's recent executive actions on immigration. If those immigrants are able to receive a temporary work permit, it would lead to a $940 million increase in tax revenues for California over five years.   (i) Expanding deferred action will significantly strengthen California's economy. When undocumented immigrants can work legally, they are able to shield themselves against workplace exploitation and move freely across the labor market to find jobs, leading to an 8.5 percent increase in their earnings. For the average undocumented immigrant, that means that he or she is taking home an additional $1,872 each year. As these extra earnings are spent throughout the economy, demand for goods and services rises, spurring job creation and raising the wages of all American workers.   (j) Currently, five states, New York, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, and Illinois have some form of statewide immigrant integration office. Yet, despite California's historic, forward-looking reforms and significant investment in new Americans, to date, our state still lacks a proactive, statewide immigrant integration effort and the most basic infrastructure for assessment, planning, and coordination of programs, policies, and budget efforts for ongoing new American integration. Absent this coordination, undocumented Californians and the state's economy will not see the largest possible return on investment, both in terms of social integration and economic potential.   (k) The success of a large-scale administrative relief implementation program and effective implementation of current and future state immigrant integration policies will depend significantly upon the coordination of a multiagency, multisector, statewide, public and private effort led by an experienced director. The state must also apply a coordinated effort that leverages private and public local, state, and federal resources to help fund the key programs and services that provide accurate, accessible information and services, including education, naturalization services, fraud prevention services, application assistance, legal services, and outreach about immigrant integration opportunities to immigrants.  SEC. 2. Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section  12099.10)   12100.10)  is added to Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: CHAPTER 1.7. THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS  12099.10.   12100.10.  There is within the Governor's office an Office of New Americans.  The Governor shall appoint a director to administer the office.   12099.11.   12100.11.  The duties of the office shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:  (a) Coordinating an ongoing multiagency, multisector public and private effort to provide accurate, accessible information and services to new Americans.   (b) Overseeing the creation of a statewide plan for the coordination and implementation of any presidential executive action on immigration reform or federal comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).   (c) Providing outreach, education, and fraud prevention services to ensure that the new American population has accurate information relating to eligibility requirements with regard to presidential executive action, CIR, federal deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA), and other policies, and where to obtain reputable application assistance and legal services.   (d) Providing citizenship application assistance, legal services, and English and civics instruction.   (e) Monitoring the implementation of the following:   (1) DACA and any other presidential executive action on immigration reform or CIR.   (2) Chapter 524 of the Statutes of 2013 (Assembly Bill 60 of the 2013-14 Regular Session).   (3) Chapter 17.1 (commencing with Section 7282) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, commonly referred to as the TRUST Act.   (4) Chapter 752 of the Statutes of 2014 (Senate Bill 1159 of the 2013-14 Regular Session).   (f) Creating neighborhood-based connections between new Americans and their communities through civic engagement and other opportunities.   (g) Marshaling resources to fund these efforts.   (a) Develop a comprehensive statewide assessment of integration programs, services, and funding that serve immigrants, regardless of status. The assessment shall include, but is not limited to, an evaluation of all of the following:   (1) Federal, state, and local laws and regulations that create programs or authorize the access of participation of immigrants, regardless of legal status.   (2) Programs and services currently managed by a state agency or department, local governmental agency, including local offices of immigrant affairs established by the County of Los Angeles, the City and County of San Francisco, and the County of Santa Clara, and nonprofit organizations to support California immigrant integration, such as naturalization services and other immigrant assistance programs, including their funding levels, source of funding, and the agency or department responsible for administering the funding or implementing the program.   (b) On or before July 1, 2016, report the findings of the assessment described in subdivision (a) and a statewide strategic plan for integration of California's new Americans to the Governor and Legislature, including a strategy for monitoring and coordinating implementation of immigrant integration policy and programs.   (1) The plan shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:   (A) The steps necessary for, and the feasibility of, interoffice and interagency coordination of programs, services, and resources.   (B) Recommendations for shifting or consolidating programs and services, if any.   (C) Recommendations for tracking implementation of federal, state, and local immigrant integration laws, programs, and services, including policy recommendations, if any.   (D) Recommendations for the coordination of outreach, education, and fraud prevention services by other public agencies and private organizations to ensure that the new American population has accurate information relating to eligibility requirements with regard to presidential executive action, comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), federal Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA), programs for unaccompanied minors, and other policies, and where to obtain reputable application assistance and legal services.   (2) The requirement for submitting a report imposed by this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2020, pursuant to Section 10231.5.   (3) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.   (c) On or after July 1, 2016, develop an online clearinghouse of immigrant integration information, including services, resources, and programs.   (d) Monitor the implementation of state laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, all of the following:   (1) Federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, federal Deferred Action for Parental Accountability, and any other presidential executive action on immigration reform or comprehensive immigration reform.   (2) Unaccompanied Minors Program.   (3) Chapter 524 of the Statutes of 2013 (Assembly Bill 60 of the 2013-14 Regular Session).   (4) Chapter 17.1 (commencing with Section 7282) of Division 7 of Title 1, commonly referred to as the TRUST Act.   (5) Chapter 752 of the Statutes of 2014 (Senate Bill 1159 of the 2013-14 Regular Session).   (6) Chapter 814 of the Statues of 2001 (Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session).   (7) Chapters 93 and 604 of the Statutes of 2011 (Assembly Bills 130 and 131 of the 2011-12 Regular Session), commonly referred to as the Dream Act.   (8) Chapter 754 of the Statutes of 2014 (Senate Bill 1210 of the 2013-14 Regular Session), commonly referred to as the DREAM Loan.   (e) Create neighborhood-based connections between new Americans and their communities through civic engagement and other opportunities.   (f) Marshal resources to fund these efforts.   12100.12. (a) The Office of New Americans Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund shall be used to pay the cost of establishing the office, and any other purpose authorized by this chapter. (b) The Office of New Americans Fund may be funded by both private and public funds. The office may accept private cash donations to be used for the purposes described in this chapter. Cash donations received pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited into the fund and shall be made available upon appropriation by the Legislature.