Bill Text: CA SB1392 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Office of New American Integration.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-04-10 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS. [SB1392 Detail]
Download: California-2013-SB1392-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 1392 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2014 INTRODUCED BYSenatorsTorresand LaraSenator Lara FEBRUARY 21, 2014An act to amend Section 12080.1 of the Government Code, relating to state government.An act to add Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 12092) 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 1392, as amended,TorresLara.State government.Office of 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 establish the Office of New American Integration in the Governor's office for the purpose of formulating a comprehensive state strategy to support the integration of immigrants in the state, including the improvement of the current social and economic mobility and self-sufficiency of documented immigrants. The bill would require the Governor to appoint a director to administer the office. The bill would also require the director to, on or before January 1, 2016, provide the Governor and the Legislature with specified information, including a short- and long-term state strategy on integrating immigrants into the state. The bill would require the director to create an Internet Web site to disseminate information on support for the integration of immigrants in the state. The bill would authorize the director to establish a task force to accomplish the requirements of these provisions.Existing law authorizes the Governor, from time to time, to examine the organization of all agencies and to determine what changes are necessary to accomplish specified government goals, including, but not limited to, promotion of more effective management of the executive and administrative branch of the state government.This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:noyes . 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. Our state is home to more than 10 million immigrants-more than any other state. (b) In 2011, the foreign born represented 13 percent of the United States population and 27 percent of the California population. (c) According to the Public Policy Institute of California's 2013 study entitled, "Immigrants in California," most immigrants in California are documented residents. "Almost half (47%) of California' s immigrants are naturalized U.S. citizens, and another 26% have some other legal status (including green cards and visas)." (d) Additionally, the study found that most immigrants are working age adults and are more likely than United States born residents to be employed, but make less money. Of the immigrants between 18 and 64 years of age, 64 percent participate in the labor force. Yet despite low wages, immigrant communities contribute to both our state and local economies. At the state level, immigrants pay roughly $5.2 billion in state income taxes and $4.6 billion in sales taxes each year. (e) 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. (f) 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. According to the White House, the 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. (g) 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. (h) Citizenship and civic participation on the part of all California residents are vital to the economic and societal well-being of the state. (i) 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, governmental agencies and immigrant residents, and to assist immigrants toward naturalization. (j) It is in the best social and economic interest of the state to enable 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. New American Integration 12092. (a) The Office of New American Integration is hereby established in the Governor's office for the purpose of formulating a comprehensive state strategy to support the integration of immigrants in the state, including the improvement of the current social and economic mobility and self-sufficiency of documented immigrants. The Governor shall appoint a director to administer the office. (b) The director shall, on or before January 1, 2016, provide all of the following to the Governor and the Legislature: (1) An identification of all programs and services currently managed by a state agency, department, local governmental agency, including the local offices of immigrant affairs established by the County of Los Angeles and the County of Santa Clara, and a nonprofit organization to support immigrant integration, including naturalization services and other immigrant assistance programs. This identification shall include the annual funding source and level of each program and service. (2) Recommendations on protocols and collaboration efforts among governmental agencies to streamline resources to assist immigrant integration, that includes a recommendation based upon a feasibility analysis of consolidating programs into the office. (3) A short-term and long-term state strategy, with policy recommendations and best practices, on integrating immigrants in the state, including solutions for improving social and economic mobility and self-sufficiency for immigrants. (4) Strategies and policy recommendations for how to integrate people who establish that they are Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals pursuant to federal requirements and support their social, educational and economic mobility and self-sufficiency. Specifically, the director shall identify barriers and opportunities for accessing advanced degrees, educational residency programs, professional licensing exams, and professional licenses. (c) The director shall create an Internet Web site to disseminate appropriate information, including applications for programs, services, resources, and opportunities to further the purposes of this section. (d) No later than six months after the date when federal immigration legislation is enacted to authorize undocumented immigrants to change their legal status, the director shall provide initial recommendations to the Legislature to ensure the state is ready to assist immigrants eligible to change their legal status pursuant to federal law. (e) The director may establish a task force to accomplish the requirements established in this section. In order to be eligible for appointment to the task force, an individual shall have experience and expertise in immigrant integration.SECTION 1.Section 12080.1 of the Government Code is amended to read: 12080.1. The Governor, from time to time, shall examine the organization of all agencies and shall determine what changes are necessary to accomplish one or more of the following purposes: (a) To promote the better execution of the laws, more effective management of the executive and administrative branch of the state government and of its agencies and functions, and expeditious administration of the public business; (b) To reduce expenditures and promote economy to the fullest extent practicable consistent with efficient operation of the state government; (c) To increase the efficiency of the operation of the state government to the fullest extent practicable; (d) To group, consolidate, and coordinate agencies and functions thereof as nearly as possible according to major purposes; (e) To reduce the number of agencies by consolidating those having similar functions under a single head, and to abolish those agencies or functions thereof as may not be necessary for the efficient operation of the state government; (f) To eliminate overlapping and duplicative effort. The Legislature declares that the public interest requires that the purposes set forth in this section be carried out, and that they may be accomplished more speedily and effectively under this article, than by the enactment of specific legislation.