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AB-1922 California Conservation Corps: Green Collar Certification Program.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 01/25/2024 09:00 PM
AB1922:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1922

Introduced by Assembly Members Davies and Luz Rivas

January 25, 2024

An act to amend Section 14300 of, and to add Section 14307.5 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to conservation, and making an appropriation therefor.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1922, as introduced, Davies. California Conservation Corps: Green Collar Certification Program.
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps and requires young adults participating in the corps program to be generally engaged in projects that, among other things, directly contribute to the conservation of energy.
This bill would instead require young adults participating in the corps program to be generally engaged in projects that, among other things, directly contribute to and promote the conservation of clean energy, enhance climate resilience, and develop sustainable climate infrastructure.
Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that the corps blend academic and job skills training with personal growth opportunities in order to develop productive youths who can make substantial contributions as California workers and citizens.
This bill would require the Director of the California Conservation Corps to establish a Green Collar Certification Program that provides young persons participating in the corps with skills and education relating to reducing carbon emissions in residential and nonresidential buildings, preparing communities for environmental disasters, and developing conservation infrastructure projects that stabilize shorelines and restore ecological habitats, as provided. The bill would require the director to issue a Green Collar Certificate to a corpsmember who successfully completes the program. The bill would authorize the director to apply for and accept grants or donations of funds from any public or private source that are provided for specified purposes relating to the program. The bill would establish the Green Collar Certification Program Fund and would require the grants or donations described above to be deposited into the fund. The bill would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the director for specified purposes relating to the program. By providing for the continuous appropriation of fund moneys to the director, this bill would create an appropriation.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: YES   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 14300 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14300.
 Young adults participating in the corps program shall generally be engaged in projects that do any of the following:
(a) Preserve, maintain, and enhance environmentally important lands and waters.
(b) Accomplish useful and needed public works projects in both urban and rural areas.
(c) Conserve, maintain, improve, and develop natural resources in both urban and rural areas.
(d) Provide opportunities for public use of, or education in, the areas, projects, and resources described in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c).
(e) Assist in emergency operations, such as natural disaster relief and the rescue of lost and injured persons.
(f) Assist in fire prevention and suppression.
(g) Directly contribute to and promote the conservation of energy. clean energy, enhance climate resilience, and develop sustainable climate infrastructure.
(h) Contribute toward making public facilities accessible to persons with disabilities.
(i) Assist departments within the Natural Resources Agency in developing, rehabilitating, and restoring parklands, recreational facilities, and historical resources; restoring salmon and steelhead spawning, nursery, and rearing habitat; restoring and preserving wildlife habitat; and enhancing reforestation in both urban and rural areas.

SEC. 2.

 Section 14307.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

14307.5.
 (a) The director shall establish a Green Collar Certification Program that provides young persons participating in the corps with skills and education relating to reducing carbon emissions in residential and nonresidential buildings, preparing communities for environmental disasters, and developing conservation infrastructure projects that stabilize shorelines and restore ecological habitats.
(b) The director shall issue a Green Collar Certificate to a corpsmember who successfully completes the Green Collar Certification Program.
(c) The Green Collar Certification Program shall prepare corpsmembers to enter the workforce, apply for an apprentice program, or pursue higher education.
(d) In developing and administering the Green Collar Certification Program, the director may partner with local builders, the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship, environmental organizations, and community colleges to provide relevant training and experience to corpsmembers.
(e) (1) The director may apply for and accept grants or donations of funds from any public or private source that are provided for the specific purpose of purchasing, renting, or otherwise acquiring or obtaining necessary property, supplies, instruments, tools, equipment, and conveniences for the Green Collar Certification Program.
(2) Any moneys received pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deposited into the Green Collar Certification Program Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code or any other law, all moneys deposited into the fund shall be continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, to the director for purposes of paragraph (1). Only those grants or donations described in paragraph (1) may be deposited into the fund and General Fund moneys shall not be deposited into the fund.