Today's Law As Amended


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AB-2060 Naturalization services.(2005-2006)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.
 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Citizenship and participation in the civic process play a critical role in the well-being of our neighborhoods, communities, schools, and state.
(b) Immigrants who are citizens are able to integrate more fully into the civic life of our communities and state. There are currently 2.7 million immigrants in this state who are eligible for naturalization.
(c) This state has one of the lowest naturalization rates in the country.
(d) A comprehensive and well-coordinated naturalization services and civic education system will assist more legal permanent residents to become citizens.
(e) The state established the Naturalization Services Program (NSP) in 1996 to assist legal permanent residents in the process of obtaining citizenship. In alliance with nonprofit and community organizations, NSP has assisted approximately 90,000 individuals as of December 2003. NSP is funded annually through budget appropriations and is a critical resource for California’s legal permanent residents seeking citizenship.

SEC. 2.

 Section 12089 is added to the Government Code, to read:

12089.
 (a) The Naturalization Services Program is hereby established, to be administered within the Department of Community Services and Development. The department shall administer the Naturalization Services Program to provide funding to community-based organizations to assist legal permanent residents in obtaining citizenship. The department shall seek input from stakeholders in designing the methodology for the distribution of funds appropriated for purposes of this section. The Naturalization Services Program shall be implemented to the extent that funds are appropriated for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.
(b) In order to ensure accountability, effectiveness, and accessibility, the Naturalization Services Program shall emphasize both of the following:
(1) Collaboration among grantees and other providers in their region, including the State Department of Education English as a Second Language and civic grantees.
(2) Development of a referral system in each service area to ensure immigrants are informed about adult education, English literacy, and citizenship services in their region.