(a)Upon appropriation by the Legislature, GO-Biz shall administer competitive grants to local governments to develop or expand local immigrant integration initiatives.

(b)Applications shall include the following grant criteria:

(1)A description of the proposed activities and how they will advance immigrant integration through locally administered public programs that advance quality of life (health, social services, housing, civic participation services), and economic mobility (education, workforce development and entrepreneurship services).

(2)An analysis of the demographics and related needs of the immigrant community in the jurisdiction and alignment with proposed activities.

(3)A description of a public and accessible community input process implemented prior to submission of the proposal to solicit recommendations from immigrant residents, community organizations and service providers that represent or serve the diverse demographics in the jurisdiction, the recommendations provided, and how proposed activities incorporate those recommendations where appropriate.

(4)Plans to ensure continuity of funding for proposed activities after the one-time grant is awarded for sustainability, including through public-private partnerships, or other means.

(5)A description of how the impact, challenges, and reach of proposed activities will be objectively measured and reported to GO-Biz not to include personally identifiable information or information that is unnecessary to determine program eligibility, including immigration or citizenship status.

(c)Grants may be used for, but are not limited to, all of the following activities:

(1)Creating multilingual local government immigrant resources or positions to support community engagement and community navigation, or other local government efforts to improve immigrant access and use of quality of life services.

(2)Funding immigrant integration focused positions and services, such as financial assistance, training or financial literacy programs, referral services for immigrant workers or entrepreneurs, or other local government efforts to improve immigrant access and use of economic mobility and opportunity services.

(3)Creating navigation assistance to specific language needs, working with community-based organizations, nonprofits, counties, and city governments, or a combination of those entities, social service agencies to develop reciprocal referral systems, or other local government efforts to improve access and use of some or all of the above services to support an emerging newcomer population, including immigrant youth, refugees, asylum seekers, or other newly arrived immigrant residents.

(d)Grantees shall collaborate with one another, including through convenings organized by GO-Biz, to share and scale best practices.

(e)Local governments applying for grant funding shall not use the funding award to replace existing funding or required services.

(f)In addition to the grant criteria described in subdivision (b), GO-Biz shall prioritize equitable distribution of funds, where possible, across local government jurisdictions, with consideration to estimates of where immigrants reside and supporting underserved regions. GO-Biz shall consult with relevant state agencies and departments with expertise in public health, housing and social services, workforce development, immigration legal services, and entrepreneurial support services. This includes, but is not limited to, the State Department of Social Services, Department of Housing and Community Development, the State Department of Public Health, and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

(g)GO-Biz shall include in an annual report to each house of the Legislature, in accordance with Section 9795, information on awarded grants, project descriptions for each grant award, and information on program outcomes. The report shall be submitted on or before May 1.

(h)Persons who are not lawfully present in the United States may participate in and benefit from local government services provided by this grant program, consistent with Section 1621(d) of Title 8 of the United States Code. For purposes of implementing this grant program, no entity or person shall seek or disclose information that is unnecessary to determine eligibility for program services, including immigration or citizenship status.

(i)Information that may be collected from individuals participating in new services provided under this funding shall not constitute a record subject to disclosure under Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1.

(j)This section shall become operative January 1, 2023.

This act shall be known known, and may be cited, as the Government Code.