12100.1.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:(a) “Agency” means any state agency, department, board, or commission.
(b) “Fellow” means an individual assigned to a project pursuant to the program.
(c) “Office” means the Government Operations Agency.
(d) “Program” means the government innovation fellows program, as established by this article.
12100.2.
(a) The office shall establish and administer the government innovation fellows program as a pilot program to identify opportunities to apply advanced skillsets and innovative practices in effective ways to improve the delivery of state governmental services, including services to small businesses, services through the selection and assignment of fellows to work in state agencies. Prior to the selection and assignment of a fellow, and with existing resources, the
office shall consult with state agencies and agencies, private entities entities, or other nongovernmental sources that are nonpartisan, including nonprofit corporations, to obtain resources and administrative support for the program, including necessary equipment, and other related costs necessary for a fellow to complete an assigned project. Contingent upon the receipt of sufficient funds, as determined by the office, from private
state agencies, private entities, or other nongovernmental sources, sources that are nonpartisan, including nonprofit corporations, the office shall do the following:(1) Adopt appropriate procedures for the selection of fellows for a term not to exceed two years and the assignment of fellows to short-term projects that do not exceed two years and are designed to achieve a particular outcome described in subdivision (f).
(2) Consider requests from a state agency for the assignment of a fellow to that state agency.
(3) Select and assign fellows after adoption of the procedures described in paragraph (1). No more than 10 fellows may be selected during a calendar year. It is the intent of the Legislature for the first fellow applications to be accepted on or before August 1, 2018, and then accepted on an ongoing basis.
(4) At the discretion of the head of the agency in which the fellow is assigned, provide the fellow with access to an office, computer, and other related support services and equipment that the agency determines necessary for the fellow to discharge his or her duties.
(b) The office may enter into agreements for the funding of
the program with fellowship entities, governmental entities, nonprofit corporations, or industry
partners. The office may enter into a personal services contract to provide compensation to a fellow if the duties of the fellow are not substantially similar to the duties of civil service employees and the contract complies with Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5.
(c) A fellow selected for the program shall serve on a voluntary basis and shall not obtain civil service status nor supplant the work of civil service employees of the state. A fellow shall dedicate at least 16 hours per week to the assignment, unless a greater number of hours per week is agreed upon. A break in service shall be allowed based upon mutual agreement.
A fellow shall not have a conflict of interest with the activities of the agency in which the fellow is assigned, including, but not limited to, having existing business before this agency.
(d) After the establishment of the program, the office may consult with representatives of industry, academia, and nonprofit organizations to continually identify opportunities to apply advanced skillsets and innovative practices in effective ways to improve state government and the delivery of state governmental services.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage state agencies to do all of the following:
(1) Work with the office to identify short-term projects for fellows to work on that will
have a positive effect in accomplishing the mission of the project and for population to be served.
(2) Ensure that each fellow will work closely with senior officials of the state agency for the duration of the assignment.
(3) At the discretion of the head of the agency, provide a fellow with access to an office, computer, and other related support services and equipment that the agency determines is necessary for the fellow to discharge his or her duties.
(f) The office shall consider the following as successful outcomes of the program:
(1) Improving government performance and delivery of services.
(2) Modernizing government processes.
(3) Introducing new ideas and techniques to the public sector.
(4) Increasing state organizational capacity, both in terms of technical skills and ability to engage change.
(5)Making state programs simpler, easier to access, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs and concerns of small businesses and entrepreneurs.
(g) The office shall prepare a report on the program’s ability to achieve successful outcomes and other benefits of the program and submit the report
to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2019, and again on or before December 31, 2020. A report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.