Bill Text: CA AB1274 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: California Youth Empowerment Commission: civil service workforce.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-01 - Referred to Com. on HUMAN S. [AB1274 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1274-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  January 03, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1274

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Introduced by Assembly Member Connolly

February 16, 2023

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An act to add and repeal Chapter 4.7 (commencing with Section 8305) of Division 1 of Title 2 of Government Code, relating to young Californians. An act to amend Section 8272 of the Government Code, relating to state government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1274, as amended, Connolly. Young Californians’ Inclusion Act. California Youth Empowerment Commission: civil service workforce.

Existing law establishes various social services and programs to address the needs of young people in this state, including the California Youth Empowerment Commission. Commission in the Office of Planning and Research. The commission consists of 13 voting commissioners between 14 and 25 years of age and 5 nonvoting members. Existing law charges the advisory commission with making recommendations to the Legislature, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Governor on issues that affect youth, including career preparation, civic engagement, and employment.

This bill, until January 1, 2027, would require the Governor to convene and appoint a Blue Ribbon Commission on Young Californians’ Inclusion that would work with state and local agencies to audit their programs related to engaging young Californians and perform a statewide assessment on young Californians’ inclusion. The bill would require the commission to develop a set of policy recommendations regarding issues that substantially impact young Californians and recommendations for implementing governmentwide efforts to ensure the needs for young Californians are met and resources are provided to continue the advancement of young Californians. The bill would also require the commission to submit a report to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction that includes the results of its assessment and recommendations and provide additional recommendations on how to increase young Californians’ inclusion and meaningful engagement, strengthen current and future outcomes for young Californians, and improve state systems to better attract and retain a younger generation of public servants in California’s civil service.

By imposing additional duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

This bill would add to the list of topics upon which the commission may offer its advice and recommendations fostering a new generation of young Californians to enter the civil service workforce.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YESNO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The needs and issues affecting young Californians are most accurately addressed by young Californians themselves.

(b) Young Californians have shown their passion for civic engagement and getting involved, as seen in the spike in voter turnout rates between the 2014 midterm elections, where when only 8 percent of California voters between 18 and 24 years of age voted, and the 2018 midterm elections, where when 27.5 percent of California voters between 18 and 24 years of age voted.

(c) The state workforce is aging and many state employees are likely to retire in the next 10 to 20 years. In 2003, 31 percent of the state workforce was 50 years of age or older; in 2010, those 50 years of age and older made up 37 percent of the workforce. Of the leaders and managers, over one-half were 50 years of age or older in 2010.

(d) Today, just 17 percent of federal workers are under 35 years of age, while in the private sector, almost 40 percent are; and more than one-quarter of federal employees are now older than 55.

(e) Young people have also shown their desire for change in social, educational, and public policy arenas, as demonstrated by advocacy efforts relating to gun reform, education, affordable housing, juvenile justice, health, jobs, and climate change led by young Californians.

(f) Since 2022, young people, Millennials and Generation Z, have become the largest generational population in the United States, representing approximately 42 percent of the population, but only 8.1 percent of the federal workforce is under the age of 30.

(g) There is an urgent need to engage young people directly with policymakers, government officials, and the bureaucracy in a manner that will provide pathways for youth to effect and initiate political change within California.

(h) There is an urgent need to increase the numbers of young people in the federal and state workforce, in order to foster proportional representation within the bureaucracy.

(i)There was a federal initiative in 2022 that would have established the Office of Young Americans under the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The initiative garnered bipartisan elected and public support.

(j)California has made progress in previous years on the implementation of youth perspectives in civic and governmental spaces. These include the establishment of the California Youth Empowerment Commission (Chapter 660 of the Statutes of 2021), which advises the governor, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Youth Advisory Council. However, there is no existing state office dedicated to managing the governmentwide needs of young Californians.

(k)No comprehensive government study has been previously completed on youth issues in California.

SEC. 2.Chapter 4.7 (commencing with Section 8305) is added to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:

4.7.Young Californians’ Inclusion Act

8305.

This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Young Californians’ Inclusion Act.

8306.

(a)On or before January 1, 2026, the Governor shall appoint and convene a Blue Ribbon Commission on Young Californians’ Inclusion to do all of the following:

(1)Work with relevant state agencies to audit their programs related to engaging young Californians. The results of this audit shall inform the development of an interagency working group and be used to facilitate more streamlined state engagement with young Californians.

(2)Conduct an assessment on young Californians’ inclusion across state, county, and local governmental agencies addressing youth outcomes, problems, and solutions including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(A)Behavioral and physical health.

(B)Career preparation.

(C)Child welfare.

(D)Civic engagement.

(E)College affordability and student loans.

(F)Demographics of people 18 to 35 years of age working in local, state, or federal government.

(G)Depression and suicide.

(H)Economic prospects of young Californians.

(I)Education.

(J)Education rates.

(K)Employment.

(L)Financial literacy.

(M)Foster care.

(N)Gun violence.

(O)Health care.

(P)Homelessness.

(Q)Housing and transportation.

(R)Immigration and undocumented youth.

(S)Juvenile justice.

(T)Labor and jobs.

(U)Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning civil rights.

(V)Mental health.

(W)The climate crisis.

(X)The opportunity gap.

(Y)Poverty.

(Z)Racial, economic, and gender equity.

(AA)Reproductive justice.

(AB)Safety.

(AC)Social media and networking.

(AD)Substance abuse and vaping.

(AE)Youth development.

(3)Develop a set of policy recommendations regarding issues that substantially impact young Californians.

(4)Develop recommendations for implementing government wide efforts to ensure the needs of young Californians are met and resources are provided to continue the advancement of young Californians.

(5)(A)No later than 270 days following the appointment of the commission, the commission shall submit a report to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction that includes the results of the assessment and recommendations developed pursuant to this subdivision, and provide additional recommendations on how to increase young Californians’ inclusion and meaningful engagement, strengthen current and future outcomes for young Californians, and improve state systems to better attract and retain a younger generation of public servants in California’s civil service.

(B)The report required to be submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.

(b)Meetings of the commission shall be held according to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3). Time shall be allowed for public comment.

(c)Notwithstanding any other law, the members of the commission shall not receive compensation or any other payment for their service on the commission, but may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in connection with attending commission meetings.

(d)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1)“Commission” means the Blue Ribbon Commission on Young Californians’ Inclusion.

(2)“Young Californians” means residents of California under 35 years of age.

8307.

This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 2.

 Section 8272 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8272.

 The commission shall do the following:

(a) Examine and discuss policy and fiscal issues affecting the interests, needs, and conditions of the youth of California.

(b) Formally advise and make recommendations to the Legislature, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Governor on specific legislative and fiscal issues affecting youth, such as the following:

(1) Achievement gap.

(2) Behavioral and physical health.

(3) Bullying.

(4) Career preparation.

(5) Child welfare.

(6) Child and sexual abuse.

(7) Civic engagement.

(8) Climate crisis.

(9) College affordability and student loans.

(10) Depression and suicide.

(11) Education.

(12) Employment.

(13) Financial literacy.

(14) Foster care.

(15) Gun violence.

(16) Health care.

(17) Homelessness.

(18) Housing and transportation.

(19) Immigration and undocumented youth.

(20) Juvenile justice.

(21) Labor and jobs.

(22) LGBTQ civil rights.

(23) Mental health.

(24) Poverty.

(25) Racial, economic, and gender equity.

(26) Reproductive justice.

(27) Safety.

(28) Social media and networking.

(29) Substance abuse and vaping.

(30) Youth development.

(31) Fostering a new generation of young Californians to enter the civil service workforce.

(31)

(32) Any other policy or fiscal issues deemed appropriate by the commission.

(c) Consult with any existing local-level youth advisory commissions and community-based, grassroots youth-led organizations for input and potential solutions on issues related to youth.

(d) Publish an internet website to report details relevant to the commission for the public to view, including, but not limited to, commission agendas, minutes, resolutions, vote counts, initiatives, commissioner information, photos, and video.

(e) On or before May 30, 2025, and annually thereafter, publish an annual report to the Legislature, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and Governor detailing the activities, issues, demographics, budget, and outcomes of the commission. The commission shall submit the report to the Legislature required by this subdivision in compliance with Section 9795.