Happenings in Sacramento
2011 Government Education Days in Sacramento
"The government is us; we are the government, you and I." - - Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) 26th president of the United States of America.
Coalition Accomplishments:
Since its founding, the Coalition has experienced significant achievements as a result of exerting its collective problem-solving and influence at the state level.
• In 1999, following substantial lobbying by Coalition members, then Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson (D – 47th District – Los Angeles) introduced the California YouthBuild Act (AB 643) which was subsequently signed into law by Governor Gray Davis.
• The California Coalition was instrumental in designing the state’s $10 million Juvenile Justice Community Re-Entry Challenge Grant program which was based on a $9.1 million proposal YouthBuild prepared for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, at its request.
• The California Coalition was a key partner in a statewide California Service Corps proposal to the Corporation for National Service entitled AmeriCorps Restoring Youth and Communities, designed to match trained parolees in mentoring relationships with incarcerated youth.
• The California Coalition worked with YouthBuild USA to develop the “Blueprint for Democracy” curriculum. The curriculum is used by all YouthBuild programs to teach and complement students’ experience of Government Education Days and encourage participation in the legislative process. Voter registration drives have also been
conducted prior to each election among all YouthBuild programs.
• Since 2005, CYBC has partnered with California Association of Local Conservation Corps (CALCC) to sponsor an annual Government Education Day event, a key strategy for educating youth participants and California government officials and staff about YB services and impacts.
These joint events have drawn more than 600 youth to the capitol each year. Government Education Days have also featured special sessions for youth training, and youth visits with their own legislators to develop relationships and share their experiences.
The program was funded in the amount of $1 million in the first year. It was then budgeted for $1 million the second year but funded only in the amount of $300,000 and budgeted again for $1 million in the third year.
Most recently in 2010, AB 2200 has been passed by the California legislature and was authored by State Assemblyman Jose Solorio. AB2200 establishes through the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, a re-entry program for parolees between 16 and 23 years of age to assist in community reintegration upon release, parole, or discharge from detention, as specified.
This measure will further support YouthBuild programs in the State of Calfornia and the work that the California State YouthBuild Coalition engages in on an annual basis.
LEGISLATION:
Landmark legislation: AB 643; http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/asm/ab_0601-0650/ab_643_cfa_19990530_003416_asm_floor.html
Current CA legislation-AB 2200 - - http://totalcapitol.com/?bill_id=200920100AB2200 The bill itself is on this link: http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2151-2200/ab_2200_bill_20100218_introduced.pdf
Coalition Accomplishments:
Since its founding, the Coalition has experienced significant achievements as a result of exerting its collective problem-solving and influence at the state level.
• In 1999, following substantial lobbying by Coalition members, then Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson (D – 47th District – Los Angeles) introduced the California YouthBuild Act (AB 643) which was subsequently signed into law by Governor Gray Davis.
• The California Coalition was instrumental in designing the state’s $10 million Juvenile Justice Community Re-Entry Challenge Grant program which was based on a $9.1 million proposal YouthBuild prepared for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, at its request.
• The California Coalition was a key partner in a statewide California Service Corps proposal to the Corporation for National Service entitled AmeriCorps Restoring Youth and Communities, designed to match trained parolees in mentoring relationships with incarcerated youth.
• The California Coalition worked with YouthBuild USA to develop the “Blueprint for Democracy” curriculum. The curriculum is used by all YouthBuild programs to teach and complement students’ experience of Government Education Days and encourage participation in the legislative process. Voter registration drives have also been
conducted prior to each election among all YouthBuild programs.
• Since 2005, CYBC has partnered with California Association of Local Conservation Corps (CALCC) to sponsor an annual Government Education Day event, a key strategy for educating youth participants and California government officials and staff about YB services and impacts.
These joint events have drawn more than 600 youth to the capitol each year. Government Education Days have also featured special sessions for youth training, and youth visits with their own legislators to develop relationships and share their experiences.
The program was funded in the amount of $1 million in the first year. It was then budgeted for $1 million the second year but funded only in the amount of $300,000 and budgeted again for $1 million in the third year.
Most recently in 2010, AB 2200 has been passed by the California legislature and was authored by State Assemblyman Jose Solorio. AB2200 establishes through the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, a re-entry program for parolees between 16 and 23 years of age to assist in community reintegration upon release, parole, or discharge from detention, as specified.
This measure will further support YouthBuild programs in the State of Calfornia and the work that the California State YouthBuild Coalition engages in on an annual basis.
LEGISLATION:
Landmark legislation: AB 643; http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/asm/ab_0601-0650/ab_643_cfa_19990530_003416_asm_floor.html
Current CA legislation-AB 2200 - - http://totalcapitol.com/?bill_id=200920100AB2200 The bill itself is on this link: http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2151-2200/ab_2200_bill_20100218_introduced.pdf