Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, grants the Governor certain powers to be exercised in accordance with the State Emergency Plan and programs for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency. Existing law creates the Office of Emergency Services within the Governors office and commits to the office the responsibility for the states response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.

This bill would authorize the Office of Emergency Services to enter into an agreement directly with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services as the office deems appropriate.

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, grants the Governor certain powers to be exercised in accordance with the State Emergency Plan and programs for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency. Existing law creates the Office of Emergency Services within the Governors office and commits to the office the responsibility for the states response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.

This bill would authorize the Office of Emergency Services to enter into an agreement directly with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services as the office deems appropriate.

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, grants the Governor certain powers to be exercised in accordance with the State Emergency Plan and programs for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency. Existing law creates the Office of Emergency Services within the Governors office and commits to the office the responsibility for the states response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.

This bill would authorize the Office of Emergency Services to enter into an agreement directly with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services as the office deems appropriate.

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SB 1181

Author:(Hueso)

As Introduced Ver:February 14, 2018

Majority vote

SENATE VOTE: 39-0

SUMMARY: This bill authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to directly enter into an agreement with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes CalOES in the office of the Governor and provides that CalOES is responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.
2. States that CalOES is responsible for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property.
3. Provides that CalOES may, as appropriate, include private businesses and nonprofit organizations within its responsibilities to prepare the state for disasters.
4. Provides that CalOES may establish a statewide registry of private businesses and nonprofit organizations that are interested in donating services, goods, labor, equipment, resources, or dispensaries or other facilities to further the preparedness of the state for disasters.
5. Defines "Community Conservation Corps" to mean a nonprofit public benefit corporation, or an agency operated by a city, county, or city and county, that is certified by the California Conservation Corps as meeting all of the following criteria:
   1. The corps is organized into supervised work crews of young men and women on the basis of motivation for hard work, personal development, and public service, without regard to their prior employment or educational background.
   2. The program is based upon highly disciplined work experience, includes an educational component, and is designed to develop character and civic consciousness.
   3. Compensation to corpsmembers is no less than the federal minimum wage, and corpsmembers receive assistance in obtaining permanent employment following participation in the program.
   4. The corps engages in recycling and litter abatement projects as well as projects that accomplish the conservationist and other purposes.
   5. The corps consists of an average annual enrollment of not less than 50 corpsmembers between 18 and 25 years of age.
6. Requires the California Conservation Corps to evaluate a community conservation corps for certification after the corps has completed 12 months of continuous operation, and annually thereafter

FISCAL EFFECT: According to Assembly Appropriations Committee, the fiscal effect is unknown, but likely modest, General Fund costs to contract with Local Conservation Corps (LCCs). Under existing practice, it costs CalOES approximately $2,000 per day to contract with the California Conservation Corps (CCC), the state conservation corps program. It is expected that costs to contract with LCCs would be similar, but additional costs would only materialize if CalOES contracts with LCCs to supplement, rather than replace, other emergency or disaster response services.

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the bill: According to the author, "The California Conservation Corps are mandated by the state to prioritize responding to natural or manmade disasters. In this capacity, they respond to support communities during a State of Emergency. They can help construct fire lines, prepare meals, and assist with floods, fires, earthquakes and more. Although the Local Conservation Corps (LCCs) share similar job training and skills, they are not able to support emergency response efforts in a direct fashion. This is because the LCCs, as local non-profit organizations, have no direct and seamless way to contract with the state. This ability is usually only permitted through a long and roundabout contractual process that is cumbersome for emergency situations."

Background: In 2009, the California Legislature merged the powers, purposes, and responsibilities of the former CalOES with those of the Office of Homeland Security (OHS) into the newly-created California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA). On July 1, 2013, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.'s Reorganization Plan #2 eliminated Cal EMA and restored it to the Governor's Office, renaming it the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and merging it with the Office of Public Safety Communications. Today, CalOES is responsible for overseeing and coordinating emergency preparedness, response, recovery and homeland security activities within the state.

Local Conservation Corps: The Community Conservation Corps, also referred to as LCCs, are different from the state-managed California Conservation Corps. They are individual, regional, nonprofit organizations governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Every LCC is required to be certified by the California Conservation Corps as having met a number of criteria.

The mission of LCCs is to preserve and protect the environment and provide job skills and educational opportunities to young men and women, primarily aged 18-25. Through funding from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and various city, county, and private organizations, California's 14 LCCs create jobs and educational opportunities for over 2,000 Californian young women and men, and provide a solid foundation for public service through hundreds of community service projects.

State Emergency Plan (SEP): On June 23, 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger promulgated the 2009 edition of the State of California Emergency Plan. The plan, in accordance with the California Emergency Services Act (CESA) addresses the state's response to extraordinary emergency situations associated with natural disasters or human-caused emergencies. The SEP is a management document intended to be read and understood before an emergency occurs. In accordance with the Act, the plan describes the methods for carrying out emergency operations, the process for rendering mutual aid, the emergency services of governmental agencies, how resources are mobilized, how the public will be informed and the process to ensure continuity of government during an emergency or disaster.

The SEP is designed to outline the activities of all California jurisdictions within a statewide emergency management system and it embraces the capabilities and resources in the broader emergency management community that includes individuals, businesses, non-governmental organizations, tribal governments, other states, federal government and international assistance.

The current SEP contains the duties and resources provided by the California Conservation Corps (CCC), which is legislatively mandated to respond to natural or manmade disasters in California. Since the CCC was established in 1976, more than 11 million hours of emergency work has been delivered by CCC. This bill would allow LCC's to enter into a similar an agreement with CalOES and provide additional resources during an emergency.

Prior/Related Legislation: AB 1928 (McCarty) of the current legislative session. Would authorize the California Conservation Corps to enter into a contract with an individual or collective of certified community conservation corps for a project or program that is in furtherance of specified legislative findings and declarations. (Pending in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee)

AB 1956 (Limon) of the current legislative session. Would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to, on or before July 1, 2019, establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention activities. Groups eligible for grants would include local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified local conservation corps, University of California Cooperative Extension, and qualified nonprofit organizations. (Pending in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee)

AB 2045 (De La Torre), Chapter 438, Statutes of 2008. Among other things, authorized the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to utilize the California Conservation Corps or certified Community Conservation Corps in implementing the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 program.

AB 3038 (Ruskin), Chapter 904, Statutes of 2006. Revised the qualifications and definition of community conservation corps.

Analysis Prepared by: Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531 FN: 0004110

Date of Hearing: August 8, 2018

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1181

Author:(Hueso) – As Introduced Ver:February 14, 2018

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to directly enter into an agreement with one or more local conservation corps (LCCs) to perform emergency or disaster response services.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Unknown, but likely modest, General Fund costs to contract with LCCs. Under existing practice, it costs CalOES approximately $2,000 per day to contract with the California Conservation Corps (CCC), the state conservation corps program. It is expected that costs to contract with LCCs would be similar, but additional costs would only materialize if CalOES contracts with LCCs to supplement, rather than replace, other emergency or disaster response services.

COMMENTS:

1. Background. The CCC, established by Governor Brown during his first term in 1976, is the oldest and largest state conservation corps program in the country. It is modeled after the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps. Although the CCC was originally conceived as a labor source for trail maintenance and restoration, it has since evolved to a workforce development program. LCCs are non-profit organizations that operate at the local level with similar missions to the CCC. California has 14 LCCs throughout the state, and these LCCs are required to obtain certification from the CCC to operate.
2. Purpose. According to the author, LCCs , despite similar job training and skills as the CCC, currently lack a direct and seamless way to contract with the state to assist with emergency response. SB 1181 is intended to streamline how LCCs to provide direct assistance during natural and manmade disasters.
3. Related legislation. AB 1928 (McCarty), of the 2017-18 Legislative Session, which authorizes CCC to enter into a contract with a LCC for a project or program for specified purposes, is pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Analysis Prepared by: Luke Reidenbach / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: June 20, 2018

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Adam Gray, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1181

Author:(Hueso) – As Introduced Ver:February 14, 2018

SENATE VOTE: 39-0

SUBJECT: Emergency services: certified community conservation corps

SUMMARY: This bill authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to directly enter into an agreement with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes CalOES in the office of the Governor and provides that CalOES is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.
2. States that CalOES is responsible for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property.
3. Provides that CalOES may, as appropriate, include private businesses and nonprofit organizations within its responsibilities to prepare the state for disasters.
4. Provides that CalOES may establish a statewide registry of private businesses and nonprofit organizations that are interested in donating services, goods, labor, equipment, resources, or dispensaries or other facilities to further the preparedness of the state for disasters.
5. Defines “Community Conservation Corps” to mean a nonprofit public benefit corporation, or an agency operated by a city, county, or city and county, that is certified by the California Conservation Corps as meeting all of the following criteria:
   1. The corps is organized into supervised work crews of young men and women on the basis of motivation for hard work, personal development, and public service, without regard to their prior employment or educational background.
   2. The program is based upon highly disciplined work experience, includes an educational component, and is designed to develop character and civic consciousness.
   3. Compensation to corpsmembers is no less than the federal minimum wage, and corpsmembers receive assistance in obtaining permanent employment following participation in the program.
   4. The corps engages in recycling and litter abatement projects as well as projects that accomplish the conservationist and other purposes.
   5. The corps consists of an average annual enrollment of not less than 50 corpsmembers between 18 and 25 years of age.
6. Requires the California Conservation Corps to evaluate a community conservation corps for certification after the corps has completed 12 months of continuous operation, and annually thereafter

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the bill: According to the author, “The California Conservation Corps are mandated by the state to prioritize responding to natural or manmade disasters. In this capacity, they respond to support communities during a State of Emergency. They can help construct fire lines, prepare meals, and assist with floods, fires, earthquakes and more. Although the Local Conservation Corps (LCCs) share similar job training and skills, they are not able to support emergency response efforts in a direct fashion. This is because the LCCs, as local non-profit organizations, have no direct and seamless way to contract with the state. This ability is usually only permitted through a long and roundabout contractual process that is cumbersome for emergency situations.”

Background: In 2009, the California Legislature merged the powers, purposes, and responsibilities of the former CalOES with those of the Office of Homeland Security (OHS) into the newly-created California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA). On July 1, 2013, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s Reorganization Plan #2 eliminated Cal EMA and restored it to the Governor’s Office, renaming it the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and merging it with the Office of Public Safety Communications. Today, CalOES is responsible for overseeing and coordinating emergency preparedness, response, recovery and homeland security activities within the state.

Local Conservation Corps: The Community Conservation Corps, also referred to as LCCs, are different from the state-managed California Conservation Corps. They are individual, regional, nonprofit organizations governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Every LCC is required to be certified by the California Conservation Corps as having met a number of criteria.

The mission of LCCs is to preserve and protect the environment and provide job skills and educational opportunities to young men and women, primarily aged 18-25. Through funding from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and various city, county, and private organizations, California’s 14 LCCs create jobs and educational opportunities for over 2,000 Californian young women and men, and provide a solid foundation for public service through hundreds of community service projects.

State Emergency Plan (SEP): On June 23, 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger promulgated the 2009 edition of the State of California Emergency Plan. The plan, in accordance with the California Emergency Services Act (CESA) addresses the state's response to extraordinary emergency situations associated with natural disasters or human-caused emergencies. The SEP is a management document intended to be read and understood before an emergency occurs. In accordance with the Act, the plan describes the methods for carrying out emergency operations, the process for rendering mutual aid, the emergency services of governmental agencies, how resources are mobilized, how the public will be informed and the process to ensure continuity of government during an emergency or disaster.

The SEP is designed to outline the activities of all California jurisdictions within a statewide emergency management system and it embraces the capabilities and resources in the broader emergency management community that includes individuals, businesses, non-governmental organizations, tribal governments, other states, federal government and international assistance.

The current SEP contains the duties and resources provided by the California Conservation Corps (CCC), which is legislatively mandated to respond to natural or manmade disasters in California. Since the CCC was established in 1976, more than 11 million hours of emergency work has been delivered by CCC. This bill would allow LCC’s to enter into a similar an agreement with CalOES and provide additional resources during an emergency.

Support: The California Association of Local Conservation Corps (CALCC) writes in support: “In disaster situations, corpsmembers have previously helped the state respond to emergencies by working on the ground on projects including creating fire breaks, clearing trees from vulnerable structures, placing sandbags to prevent flood damage, and installing water tanks to give communities better access to clean drinking water. Often, however, LCCs are prevented from, or significantly delayed in, providing critical disaster support to the state.”

Further, CALCC states that “during the Northern California fires that began in October 2017, contracting issues prevented the Conservation Corps of North Bay (CCNB) from deploying a single corpsmember to support the state. CCNB, located in and serving Sonoma and Napa counties, with their existing fire response experience and dozens of corpsmembers trained and eager to help their neighbors, were effectively blocked from doing so. The high demand for emergency response personnel and rapidity in reaction time is always underscored during an emergency. The nature and size of disasters this past year reinforces the need for maximizing and utilizing all our trained personnel.”

Prior/Related Legislation: AB 1928 (McCarty) of 2017-2018 Legislative Session. Would authorize the California Conservation Corps to enter into a contract with an individual or collective of certified community conservation corps for a project or program that is in furtherance of specified legislative findings and declarations. (Pending in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee)

AB 1956 (Limon) of 2017-2018 Legislative Session. Would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to, on or before July 1, 2019, establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention activities. Groups eligible for grants would include local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified local conservation corps, University of California Cooperative Extension, and qualified nonprofit organizations. (Pending in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee)

AB 2045 (De La Torre), Chapter 438, Statutes of 2008. Among other things, authorized the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to utilize the California Conservation Corps or certified Community Conservation Corps in implementing the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 program.

AB 3038 (Ruskin), Chapter 904, Statutes of 2006. Revised the qualifications and definition of community conservation corps.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Association of Local Conservation Corps (Source)

Civicorps

Conservation Corps North Bay

Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps

Greater Valley Conservation Corps

Los Angeles Conservation Corps

Orange County Conservation Corps

Sacramento regional Conservation Corps

San Francisco Conservation Corps

San Jose Conservation Corps

Sequoia Community Corps

Urban Conservation Corps of San Diego

Urban Conservation Corps of the Inland Empire

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: SB 1181

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 12-0, 4/10/18

AYES: Dodd, Wilk, Bradford, Cannella, Gaines, Galgiani, Glazer, Hill, Hueso, Lara, Portantino, Vidak

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/25/18

AYES: Lara, Bates, Beall, Bradford, Hill, Nielsen, Wiener

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: California Association of Local Conservation Corps

DIGEST:

This bill authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to directly enter into an agreement with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes OES in the office of the Governor and provides that OES is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.
2. States that OES is responsible for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property.
3. Provides that OES may, as appropriate, include private businesses and nonprofit organizations within its responsibilities to prepare the state for disasters.
4. Provides that OES may establish a statewide registry of private businesses and nonprofit organizations that are interested in donating services, goods, labor, equipment, resources, or dispensaries or other facilities to further the preparedness of the state for disasters.
5. Defines “Community Conservation Corps” to mean a nonprofit public benefit corporation, or an agency operated by a city, county, or city and county, that is certified by the California Conservation Corps as meeting specified criteria.

This bill authorizes OES to enter into an agreement directly with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services as OES deems appropriate.

Comments

Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “the California Conservation Corps are mandated by the state to prioritize responding to natural or manmade disasters. In this capacity, they respond to support communities during a State of Emergency. They can help construct fire lines, prepare meals, and assist with floods, fires, earthquakes and more. Although the Local Conservation Corps (LCCs) share similar job training and skills, they are not able to support emergency response efforts in a direct fashion. This is because the LCCs, as local non-profit organizations, have no direct and seamless way to contract with the state. This ability is usually only permitted through a long and roundabout contractual process that is cumbersome for emergency situations.”

Local Conservation Corps. The Community Conservation Corps, also referred to as LCCs, are different from the state-managed California Conservation Corps. They are individual, regional, nonprofit organizations governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Every LCC is required to be certified by the California Conservation Corps as having met a number of criteria.

The mission of LCCs is to preserve and protect the environment and provide job skills and educational opportunities to young men and women, primarily aged 18-25. Through funding from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and various city, county, and private organizations, California’s 14 LCCs create jobs and educational opportunities for over 2,000 Californian young women and men, and provide a solid foundation for public service through hundreds of community service projects.

According to the Senate Governmental Organization Committee, currently, OES does not enter into contractual agreements with nonprofit organizations for the delivery of emergency or disaster response services. It is important to note that this bill does not require OES to enter into any such agreement; it simply grants OES the authority to do so. However it is unclear to what extent OES would enter into any agreements for the delivery of emergency or disaster response services with LCCs should that authority exist.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1928 (McCarty, 2018) authorizes the California Conservation Corps to enter into a contract with an individual or collective of certified community conservation corps for a project or program that is in furtherance of specified legislative findings and declarations. (Pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1956 (Limon, 2018) requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, on or before July 1, 2019, to establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention activities. Groups eligible for grants would include local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified local conservation corps, University of California Cooperative Extension, and qualified nonprofit organizations. (Pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 821 (Jackson, 2018) authorizes each county, and city and county, to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility or other agency responsible for property-related services for the sole purpose of enrolling county residents in a county-operated public emergency warning system. (Pending in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 2045 (De La Torre, Chapter 438, Statutes of 2008), among other things, authorized the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to utilize the California Conservation Corps or certified Community Conservation Corps in implementing the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 program.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, unknown, likely significant cost pressure for contracting with certified community conservation corps and utilizing their services in the event of an emergency. These costs may replace the costs for utilizing the California Conservation Corps or occur in addition to those costs depending on whether the certified community conservation corps are used to replace or to supplement the utilization of the California Conservation Corps.

SUPPORT: (Verified 5/25/18)

California Association of Local Conservation Corps (source)

Civicorps

Conservation Corps North Bay

Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps

Greater Valley Conservation Corps

Los Angeles Conservation Corps

Orange County Conservation Corps

Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps

San Francisco Conservation Corps

San Jose Conservation Corps

Sequoia Community Corps

Urban Conservation Corps of San Diego

Urban Conservation Corps of the Inland Empire

OPPOSITION: (Verified 5/25/18)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the California Association of Local Conservation Corps, “in disaster situations, corpsmembers have previously helped the state respond to emergencies by working on the ground on projects including creating fire breaks, clearing trees from vulnerable structures, placing sandbags to prevent flood damage, and installing water tanks to give communities better access to clean drinking water. Often, however, LCCs are prevented from, or significantly delayed in, providing critical disaster support to the state.”

Prepared by:

5/26/18 15:26:22

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

SB 1181 (Hueso) - Emergency services: certified community conservation corps

This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

Bill Summary:

SB 1181 would authorize the Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to directly enter into an agreement with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services.

Fiscal Impact:

• Unknown, likely significant cost pressure for contracting with certified community conservation corps and utilizing their services in the event of an emergency. These costs may replace the costs for utilizing the California Conservation Corps or occur in addition to those costs depending on whether the certified community conservation corps are used to replace or to supplement the utilization of the California Conservation Corps.

Background:

The Community Conservation Corps (also Local Conservation Corps (LCC)) are individual, regional, nonprofit organizations governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The California Conservation Corps is a department within the California Natural Resources Agency that works on environmental projects and responds to natural and man-made disasters. LCCs are required to be evaluated and certified by the California Conservation Corp. According to the author, although LCCs share similar job training and skills with the California Conservation Corps, they are not able to support emergency response efforts in a direct fashion because as local nonprofit organizations, they have no direct and seamless way to contract with the state.

LCCs are funded through the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery and various city, county, and private organizations. California has 14 LCCs throughout the state.

Proposed Law:

This bill would authorize CalOES to enter into an agreement directly with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services as CalOES deems appropriate.

Related Legislation:

AB 1928 (McCarty, 2018) would authorize the California Conservation Corps to enter into a contract with an individual or collective of certified community conservation corps for a project or program that is in furtherance of specified legislative findings and declarations. This bill is pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 2045 (De La Torre, Chapter 438, Statutes of 2008) among other things, authorized the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to utilize the California Conservation Corps or certified Community Conservation Corps in implementing the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 program.

AB 3038 (Ruskin, Chapter 904, Statutes of 2006) revised the qualifications and definition of community conservation corps.

Staff Comments:

Staff notes that CalOES does not currently enter into contractual agreements with nonprofit organizations for the delivery of emergency or disaster response services. Currently CalOES utilizes the California Conservation Corps to perform emergency or disaster response services. This bill does not require CalOES to enter into an agreement with LCCs but rather grants the authority to do so. In the event that CalOES enters into an agreement and utilizes the services of LCCs, whether in replacement of or in addition to the services of the California Conservation Corps, the costs for those services would supplant or add to the costs for utilizing the California Conservation Corps, respectively.

According to CalOES, it costs approximately $2000 per day per crew for the California Conservation Corps to respond to an emergency or disaster. The number of crews and length of time needed to respond varies based on the scope of the emergency event.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Senator Bill Dodd

Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: 1181 Hearing Date: 4/10/2018

SUBJECT: Emergency services: certified community conservation corps

DIGEST: This bill authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to directly enter into an agreement with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes OES in the office of the Governor and provides that OES is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.
2. States that OES is responsible for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property.
3. Provides that OES may, as appropriate, include private businesses and nonprofit organizations within its responsibilities to prepare the state for disasters.
4. Provides that OES may establish a statewide registry of private businesses and nonprofit organizations that are interested in donating services, goods, labor, equipment, resources, or dispensaries or other facilities to further the preparedness of the state for disasters.
5. Defines “Community Conservation Corps” to mean a nonprofit public benefit corporation, or an agency operated by a city, county, or city and county, that is certified by the California Conservation Corps as meeting all of the following criteria:
   1. The corps is organized into supervised work crews of young men and women on the basis of motivation for hard work, personal development, and public service, without regard to their prior employment or educational background.
   2. The program is based upon highly disciplined work experience, includes an educational component, and is designed to develop character and civic consciousness.
   3. Compensation to corpsmembers is no less than the federal minimum wage, and corpsmembers receive assistance in obtaining permanent employment following participation in the program.
   4. The corps engages in recycling and litter abatement projects as well as projects that accomplish the conservationist and other purposes.
   5. The corps consists of an average annual enrollment of not less than 50 corpsmembers between 18 and 25 years of age.
6. Requires the California Conservation Corps to evaluate a community conservation corps for certification after the corps has completed 12 months of continuous operation, and annually thereafter.

This bill authorizes OES to enter into an agreement directly with one or more certified community conservation corps, as defined, to perform emergency or disaster response services as OES deems appropriate.

Background

Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “the California Conservation Corps are mandated by the state to prioritize responding to natural or manmade disasters. In this capacity, they respond to support communities during a State of Emergency. They can help construct fire lines, prepare meals, and assist with floods, fires, earthquakes and more. Although the Local Conservation Corps (LCCs) share similar job training and skills, they are not able to support emergency response efforts in a direct fashion. This is because the LCCs, as local non-profit organizations, have no direct and seamless way to contract with the state. This ability is usually only permitted through a long and roundabout contractual process that is cumbersome for emergency situations.”

Local Conservation Corps. The Community Conservation Corps, also referred to as LCCs, are different from the state-managed California Conservation Corps. They are individual, regional, nonprofit organizations governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Every LCC is required to be certified by the California Conservation Corps as having met a number of criteria.

The mission of LCCs is to preserve and protect the environment and provide job skills and educational opportunities to young men and women, primarily aged 18-25. Through funding from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and various city, county, and private organizations, California’s 14 LCCs create jobs and educational opportunities for over 2,000 Californian young women and men, and provide a solid foundation for public service through hundreds of community service projects.

2017 California Fire Season. California’s 2017 wildfire season was unprecedented, both in terms of scope and destruction. The state faced roughly 9,000 wildfires which burned over one million acres. The fires destroyed nearly 11,000 structures and were responsible for the deaths of at least 46 people. The cleanup and recovery from these devastating fires, and ensuing debris flows, continue to this day.

As climate change continues to plague the state, many scientists predict that the 2017 fire season is not an anomaly, and that similar wildfires are likely to continue into the future. Given the growing need for emergency response services, the author argues that it is important to provide OES with as many tools as possible to respond during times of emergency.

Staff comments. Currently, OES does not enter into contractual agreements with nonprofit organizations for the delivery of emergency or disaster response services. It is important to note that this bill does not require OES to enter into any such agreement; it simply grants OES the authority to do so. However it is unclear to what extent OES would enter into any agreements for the delivery of emergency or disaster response services with LCCs should that authority exist.

Prior/Related Legislation

AB 1928 (McCarty, 2018) authorizes the California Conservation Corps to enter into a contract with an individual or collective of certified community conservation corps for a project or program that is in furtherance of specified legislative findings and declarations. (Pending in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 1956 (Limon, 2018) requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to, on or before July 1, 2019, establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention activities. Groups eligible for grants would include local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified local conservation corps, University of California Cooperative Extension, and qualified nonprofit organizations. (Pending in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

SB 821 (Jackson, 2018) authorizes each county, and city and county, to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility or other agency responsible for property-related services for the sole purpose of enrolling county residents in a county-operated public emergency warning system. (Pending in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 2045 (De La Torre, Chapter 438, Statutes of 2008) among other things, authorized the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to utilize the California Conservation Corps or certified Community Conservation Corps in implementing the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 program.

AB 3038 (Ruskin, Chapter 904, Statutes of 2006) revised the qualifications and definition of community conservation corps.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT:

California Association of Local Conservation Corps (Source)

Civicorps

Conservation Corps North Bay

Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps

Greater Valley Conservation Corps

Los Angeles Conservation Corps

Orange County Conservation Corps

Sacramento regional Conservation Corps

San Francisco Conservation Corps

San Jose Conservation Corps

Sequoia Community Corps

Urban Conservation Corps of San Diego

Urban Conservation Corps of the Inland Empire

OPPOSITION:

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the California Association of Local Conservation Corps (CALCC), “in disaster situations, corpsmembers have previously helped the state respond to emergencies by working on the ground on projects including creating fire breaks, clearing trees from vulnerable structures, placing sandbags to prevent flood damage, and installing water tanks to give communities better access to clean drinking water. Often, however, LCCs are prevented from, or significantly delayed in, providing critical disaster support to the state.”

Further, CALCC states that “during the Northern California fires that began in October 2017, contracting issues prevented the Conservation Corps of North Bay (CCNB) from deploying a single corpsmember to support the state. CCNB, located in and serving Sonoma and Napa counties, with their existing fire response experience and dozens of corpsmembers trained and eager to help their neighbors, were effectively blocked from doing so. The high demand for emergency response personnel and rapidity in reaction time is always underscored during an emergency. The nature and size of disasters this past year reinforces the need for maximizing and utilizing all our trained personnel.”