SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) The State of California is the largest and most diverse state in the nation, with a total population of almost 40 million people, and a total immigrant population of about 10 million people from over 60 different countries.
(b) California prides itself on its great racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity, and acknowledges that diverse backgrounds benefit the state through providing a diversity of experiences and expertise, and this diversity is especially beneficial in creating public policy that supports and protects all people.
(c) California has made great strides in integrating our immigrant population in all aspects, including passing laws that authorize health care for all children, professional licenses, driver’s licenses, college grants, loans, and in-state tuition for eligible residents, regardless of their immigration status.
(d) Californians are served by numerous local and state boards and commissions that, together, cover a broad range of issues and policy topics and oversee many of the programs and services provided by the state, and these boards and commissions are comprised of highly experienced, qualified individuals with a desire to uphold the values and advance the work of the institutions they serve.
(e) California’s democratic values of equal representation are upheld when our local and state government is diverse and representative of the people who reside in the state, and access to positions on governmental boards and commissions creates an avenue for people from multiple backgrounds and different experiences to serve the communities in which they live and beyond.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature to remove barriers to service and authorize all California residents, including those without lawful immigration status, to serve on California’s diverse local and state boards and commissions so that their perspectives and voices are heard.