SECTIONS 14300-14317 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 14300-14317

14300. Young women and men participating in the corps program shall
generally be engaged in projects which do 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 the conservation of energy.
(h) Contribute toward making public facilities accessible to
persons with disabilities.
(i) Assist departments within the 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.

14301. The Governor shall appoint a director, who shall act as the
administrative officer of the corps, and a deputy director. The
appointment of the director is subject to confirmation by the Senate
at the next regular or special session of the Legislature, and the
refusal or failure of the Senate to confirm the appointment shall
create a vacancy in the office. The director and deputy director
shall be exempt from civil service, under subdivision (f) of Section
4 of Article XXIV of the California Constitution. The director shall
employ, pursuant to the provisions of Article XXIV of the California
Constitution and Part 2 (commencing with Section 18500) of Division 5
of Title 2 of the Government Code, such staff as is necessary to
implement the provisions of this division.

14302. Young women and men shall be selected for participation in
the corps program on the basis of motivation for hard work, personal
development, and public service, and without regard to their prior
employment or educational background. Participation shall be for a
period of one year, which may be extended.
The corps, in conjunction with the Employment Development
Department, shall place an emphasis on developing and executing plans
to assist corpsmembers in obtaining employment following their
participation in the corps program.

14303. The director may employ special corpsmembers without regard
to their age so that the corps may draw upon their special skills
which may contribute to the attainment of the objectives of the
program. Special corpsmembers may be assigned to headquarters, as
well as field positions.

14304. Projects shall be directed toward providing opportunities to
the public for their education or the use of these natural resources
and environmentally important public lands and waters, while at the
same time providing young men and women with an opportunity for
personal development in a variety of basic skills. Projects shall be
undertaken in both urban and rural areas and shall be selected on the
basis of the environmental and natural resource benefits each
offers, the opportunities for public education or use each offers,
and the on-the-job training value of each.

14305. In order to protect the rights of corpsmembers individually
and the corps as a community, the director shall adopt a corpsmember
bill of rights, corpsmember grievance procedures, and search and
seizure guidelines.
These adopted rights, procedures, and guidelines shall serve to
assist the director and corps staff in identifying problems and
conflicts and resolving them with a minimum disruption of work and
training, and shall be used by corps supervisors to interpret and
consistently enforce policies and procedures of the corps.

14306. To implement the provisions of this division, the director
may do all of the following:
(a) Recruit and employ corpsmembers and special corpsmembers.
(b) Adopt criteria for selecting applicants for employment in the
corps' program.
(c) Execute contracts containing such terms and conditions as are
deemed necessary and desirable for the employment of corpsmembers.
(d) Authorize utilization of the corps for emergency projects
occasioned by natural disasters, fire prevention and suppression,
rescue of lost or injured persons, and any other activity or project
necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this division.
(e) Apply for and accept grants or contributions of funds from any
public or private source.
(f) Purchase, rent, or otherwise acquire or obtain necessary
property, supplies, instruments, tools, equipment, and conveniences.
(g) Execute contracts for furnishing the services of the corps to
any federal, state, or local public agency; any local or statewide
private organization concerned with the objectives of the corps'
program, as specified in Sections 14000 and 14300; and any person,
firm, partnership, or corporation concerned with these objectives.
(h) Procure insurance.
(i) Be reimbursed by the federal government, any state or local
public agency, or any private organization for actual expenses
incurred by the corps for any project undertaken for any such entity
pursuant to subdivision (d) or (g) or pursuant to Section 14307.
(j) To the extent permitted by Article VII of the California
Constitution, execute contracts with any person, natural or
corporate, for the purpose of implementing the objectives of the
corps, as specified in Sections 14000 and 14300.
(k) Utilize any services, material, or property of any agency of
the state, and may make such agreements with any agency of the state
or take such other actions as are reasonable and necessary.
(l) Contract with public or private nonprofit entities to provide
services for the corps.
(m) Contract with the University of California, the California
State University, the community college districts, and private
institutions for the creation of special admission and tuition credit
programs for corpsmembers.

14307. Fire prevention, fire suppression, and disaster relief
including, but not limited to, flood, earthquake, pest infestation
assistance measures, and search and rescue efforts shall be a major
emphasis of the program. Certain corps centers designated by the
director as fire centers in locations specifically needed to assure
emergency capability and readiness for firefighting and natural
disaster relief shall be administered and directed jointly by the
director of the corps and the Director of Forestry and Fire
Protection. The director of the corps shall be responsible for
setting the policies under which these centers shall be operated and
shall be responsible for the recruitment, orientation, job training,
project planning, and educational and other services generally
provided in the corps at its base centers. The Director of Forestry
and Fire Protection, and his or her designee, shall be responsible
for the supervision of corps members engaged in public service
conservation work and for the training, supervision, and direction of
corps members engaged in fire prevention, fire suppression, and
other emergency activities.

14308. In carrying out this division, the director may utilize any
services, materials, or property of any agency of the state and may
make any agreements with any agency of the state, or take any other
actions, that are reasonable and necessary.

14309. In order to provide the best and most cost-effective
training possible for corps members and other state employees, state
agencies shall seek to combine or share training programs that
provide related skills.

14310. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, corpsmembers and
special corpsmembers, other than staff officers and employees, shall
not receive state retirement benefits.

14311. In keeping with the corps' entrepreneurial nature and to
expand the corpsmember population, the corps shall actively seek
reimbursable work projects from state and nonstate entities that are
in keeping with its mission. The corps shall use the following
criteria in reviewing such a project offer:
(a) The project will provide opportunities to expand corpsmember
population.
(b) The project will provide corpsmembers with education and
training in employable skills.
(c) The project will attract community support, participation, and
funding.
(d) The project conserves or enhances the state's natural
resources, or has other public benefits.

14312. (a) The Collins-Dugan California Conservation Corps
Reimbursement Account is hereby created in the General Fund in the
State Treasury, for support of the corps.
(b) Funds received in payment for reimbursable work projects,
excluding General Fund money, may be deposited in the Collins-Dugan
California Conservation Corps Reimbursement Account.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the
money in the Collins-Dugan California Conservation Corps
Reimbursement Account is hereby continuously appropriated to the
corps for the following program activities:
(1) Program expansion to hire more corpsmembers.
(2) Enhancement of corpsmember education and educational support
services.
(3) Enhancement of equipment used by corpsmembers in projects
meeting the corps' mission.
(4) Program support when legislatively directed reimbursement
targets are unmet in a given fiscal year.

14313. To assist the corps' operation as an entrepreneurial and
incentive-based program, the director may seek and accept donations
from private entities, foundations, or other sources outside of state
government for purposes of accomplishing the corps' mission.

14315. (a) Subject to the availability of assistance from the
corps, a state agency that is considering the use of contracted labor
shall give priority to the corps when the mission of the corps and
the nature of the state agency's project are substantially
consistent.
(b) State agencies shall notify the corps of potential contracts
for services that fit within the parameters of the legislative intent
set forth in Section 14000 and shall use the corps to the maximum
extent feasible to carry out projects that promote the legislative
intent as set forth in Section 14000. Because of the corps'
commitment to the state's youth, in the exercise of a state agency's
discretion when considering contracts for services, strong
consideration shall be given to the use of corpsmembers over the use
of other contracted labor.
(c) The corps may contract with any state agency for the
performance of activities consistent with this division.
(d) Upon appropriation by the Legislature and execution of a
contract pursuant to subdivision (b), the Controller may transfer
money to the Collins-Dugan California Conservation Corps
Reimbursement Account from other funds under the control of the
contracting state agency, including, but not limited to, the
following funds and accounts:
(1) Hazardous Waste Control Account in the General Fund.
(2) State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund.
(3) Transportation Planning and Development Account in the State
Transportation Fund.
(4) California Environmental License Plate Fund.
(5) Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
(6) Public Resources Account in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products
Surtax Fund.
(7) Unallocated Account in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products
Surtax Fund.
(8) Habitat Conservation Fund.
(9) Motor Vehicle Fuel Account in the Transportation Tax Fund
pursuant to Section 8352.6 of the Revenue and Taxation Code (OMV
Fund).
(10) Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund.
(11) Integrated Waste Management Account in the Integrated Waste
Management Fund.
(12) State Parks and Recreation Fund.
(13) Solid Waste Disposal Site Cleanup and Maintenance Account in
the General Fund.
(14) Employment Training Fund.
(15) Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund.
(16) California Beverage Container Recycling Fund.
(e) Expenditures from the Collins-Dugan California Conservation
Corps Reimbursement Account of amounts transferred pursuant to
subdivision (d) shall be limited to purposes that are consistent with
the requirements of each fund or account contributing each amount to
the Collins-Dugan California Conservation Corps Reimbursement
Account.

14316. The Department of Finance may make a loan from the General
Fund to the Collins-Dugan California Conservation Corps Reimbursement
Account, in an amount not to exceed a cumulative total of one
million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to meet cashflow
needs due to delays in collecting reimbursements. Any loan made by
the Department of Finance pursuant to this section shall only be made
if the corps has a valid contract or certification signed by a
client agency that demonstrates that sufficient funds will be
available to repay the loan. All money so transferred shall be repaid
to the General Fund as soon as possible, but not later than one year
from the date of the loan, with interest at the average rate earned
by the Surplus Money Investment Fund.

14317. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) By authorizing the Sacramento Local Conservation Corps to sell
one of its existing buildings and purchase another building, the
corps would be able to consolidate and improve its operations and
ensure the safety of its members.
(2) The purpose of the purchase of another building is to provide
a permanent residence for the Sacramento Local Conservation Corps.
(3) The purchase of another building is consistent with the
intended purpose of the Proposition 40 (the California Clean Water,
Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Bond Act
of 2002) grant to the Sacramento Local Conservation Corps that was
used to purchase the existing building.
(4) However, that grant required the Sacramento Local Conservation
Corps to "use the property only for the purpose for which the grant
was made and to make no other use, sale or other disposition of the
property, except as authorized by a specific act of the Legislature."
(b) The Sacramento Local Conservation Corps, certified by the
California Conservation Corps pursuant to this division, may sell APN
036-0181-011 located in the County of Sacramento, which was
purchased with bond funds pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision
(e) of Section 5096.650.
(c) The sale of APN 036-0181-011 shall be subject to all of the
following conditions:
(1) The sale of APN 036-0181-011 shall be at no less than fair
market value and shall be approved by the California Conservation
Corps.
(2) The net proceeds from the sale of APN 036-0181-011 shall be
used only towards the purchase of APN 036-0031-026 located in the
County of Sacramento.
(3) The purchase of APN 036-0031-026 shall be at no more than fair
market value and shall be approved by the California Conservation
Corps.
(4) Any net proceeds from the sale of APN 036-0181-011, in excess
of the purchase price of APN 036-0031-026, shall revert to the
California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and
Coastal Protection Fund created pursuant to Section 5096.610, and are
hereby appropriated from that fund to the California Conservation
Corps for local assistance.
(5) The Sacramento Local Conservation Corps shall only use APN
036-0031-026 for corps purposes and shall not lease or rent APN
036-0031-026 to other occupants.