SECTIONS 14000-14004 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 14000-14004

14000. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that every
California youth should be encouraged to reach his or her full
potential, but that many youths require guidance and support to reach
their goals and make positive changes in their lives.
(b) The Legislature finds and declares that conserving or
developing natural resources, and enhancing and maintaining
environmentally important lands and waters through the use of
California's young women and men, is beneficial not only to the youth
of the state by providing them with educational and work
opportunities, but also is beneficial for the state's economy and its
environment.
(c) The Legislature further finds and declares that the California
Conservation Corps continues to offer California a unique
opportunity to meet both the goal of increasing understanding and
appreciation of the environment and the goal of helping youths become
productive adults.
(d) The Legislature therefore reaffirms its intent that the corps'
mission includes increasing awareness of and improving our natural
resources, but more importantly, includes instilling basic skills and
a healthy work ethic in California youth, building their character,
self-esteem, and self-discipline, and establishing within them a
strong sense of civic responsibility and understanding of the value
of a day's work for a day's wages.
(e) It is the further intent of the Legislature that corpsmembers
graduate from the corps with good work habits, positive attitudes,
and broadened professional horizons. 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.
(f) It is the further intent of the Legislature, in memory of
Brien Thomas "B.T." Collins and John E. "Jack" Dugan, and on behalf
of their passion, support, and commitment to the mission of the
corps, to ensure that the corps is an entrepreneurial and
incentive-based program with stable and predictable funding. In
pursuit of that goal, it is the intent of the Legislature that all
state agencies look to the corps first to perform those projects that
meet the mission of the corps.

14001. There is in the Resources Agency the California Conservation
Corps, which shall be responsible for carrying out the purposes of,
and implementing the findings and policies set forth in, this
division.

14002. The Legislature finds and declares that the California
Conservation Corps provides an invaluable service. The Legislature
supports the corps' mission to enhance the educational opportunities
and employability of corps members. To further this mission local
community college districts and the corps are encouraged to enter
into cooperative agreements so that corps members have access to
equal educational opportunities.
Local community college districts are encouraged to recognize the
unique needs and circumstances of the corps members and the corps'
need for adequate facilities. Local community college districts
should, to the extent possible, develop procedures to address these
unique needs.

14003. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the State of
California has already established a model conservation corps program
and that redundant federal and state programs to carry out resource
protection and conservation within the state are not in the best
interests of the state. Rather, it is in the best interests of the
state that federal funds designated to be expended by federal
agencies for this purpose be allocated, to the extent feasible, to
the California Conservation Corps and local conservation corps.
(b) If federal funds are available for youth conservation corps or
community service corps programs, excluding the federal Job Corps,
the California Conservation Corps is hereby designated as the program
recipient for the State of California, and the corps may distribute,
as appropriate, any federal funds to other corps programs within the
state. The director shall have the authority to adopt, amend, and
repeal policies to implement the program consistent with the federal
requirements and with this division.

14004. In memory of Brien Thomas "B.T." Collins, and on behalf of
his passion, support, and commitment to the mission of the corps, the
California Conservation Corps headquarters in Sacramento is hereby
named the "B.T. Collins California Conservation Corps Building."