Bill Text: CA SB1345 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: State government: Commission on the Status of Women.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-06-26 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 3.) (June 26). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [SB1345 Detail]
Download: California-2011-SB1345-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 1345 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 10, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Senator Evans
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
An act to amend Sections 8241, 8242, 8244,
8245, and 8246 of , and to repeal and add Section 8240 of,
the Government Code, relating to state government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1345, as amended, Evans. State government: Commission on the
Status of Women.
Existing law creates within state government the Commission on the
Status of Women, consisting of 17 members, including certain Members
of the Legislature. Existing law sets forth the powers and duties of
the commission, and authorizes requires
the commission to study certain topics.
This bill would authorize the members of the commission who are
also Members of the Legislature to vote by proxy. The bill
would provide that various powers and duties of the commission shall
be carried out only to the extent that funds are available.
The bill would authorize require the
commission to study additional topics. The bill would authorize the
Legislature to recommend that the commission study additional topics
relevant to women. The bill would authorize the commission to review
the implementation of any law to ensure that the law is not
discriminating against women or creating an inequitable environment
for women.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 8240 of the Government Code
is repealed.
SEC. 2. Section 8240 is added to the Government
Code, to read:
8240. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Governor Pat Brown initially established the Commission on the
Status of Women as an advisory committee in 1965. The committee was
made a permanent commission by the Legislature and Governor Ronald
Reagan in 1971.
(b) The commission is an independent voice within state government
for California women and girls. The commission serves as an
important link between many communities and the government, including
working families, women of color, and those with least access to
state government and services.
(c) The commission is an important source of information and data
on women and girls for the Legislature, private organizations,
individuals, and state and local entities.
(d) Eighteen million seven hundred thousand women and girls call
California home, comprising over one-half of the state's residents.
More than 12 percent of the women and girls in the United States live
in California.
(e) Women have made tremendous progress in the years since the
commission was created, but full equality has not yet been achieved.
(f) The current budget crisis and the economy are having a
disparate impact on women and their families, making the work of the
commission even more important as the state moves forward.
(g) For these reasons, it is necessary that the commission
continue to be funded pursuant to this chapter.
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:
(a) Governor Pat Brown initially established the Commission on the
Status of Women as an advisory committee in 1965. The committee was
made a permanent commission by the Legislature and Governor Ronald
Reagan in 1971.
(b) The commission is an independent voice within state government
for California women and girls. The commission serves as an
important link between many communities and the government, including
working families, women of color, and those with least access to
state government and services.
(c) The commission is an important source of information and data
on women and girls for the Legislature, private organizations,
individuals, and state and local entities.
(d) Eighteen million seven hundred thousand women and girls call
California home, comprising over one-half of the state's residents.
More than 12 percent of the women and girls in the United States live
in California.
(e) Women have made tremendous progress in the years since the
commission was created, but full equality has not yet been achieved.
(f) The current budget crisis and the economy are having a
disparate impact on women and their families, making the work of the
commission even more important as the state moves forward.
(g) For these reasons, it is necessary that the commission
continue to be funded.
SEC. 3. SEC. 2. Section 8241 of the
Government Code is amended to read:
8241. There is in the state government the Commission on the
Status of Women. The commission shall consist of 17 members: three
Members of the Senate and one public member appointed by the Senate
Committee on Rules, three Members of the Assembly and one public
member appointed by the Speaker, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the Chief of the Division of Industrial Welfare in the
Department of Industrial Relations, and seven public members
appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate. The
Members of the Legislature shall serve at the pleasure of the
appointing powers. The Members of the Legislature may vote by proxy.
Public member appointees of the Speaker and the Senate Committee
on Rules, and appointees of the Governor shall serve four-year terms.
All persons appointed pursuant to Section 2 of Chapter 1378 of the
Statutes of 1965, as amended by Chapter 382 of the Statutes of 1973,
shall continue in office until the expiration of their term and the
appointment of their successors. The appointing powers may reappoint
a member whose term has expired, and shall immediately fill any
vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term in which it occurs.
All appointees shall hold office until the appointment of their
successors.
SEC. 4. Section 8242 of the Government Code is
amended to read:
8242. (a) Public members of the commission shall receive one
hundred dollars ($100) per diem while on official business of the
commission, not to exceed 12 days per year. Each member of the
commission shall also be entitled to receive his or her actual
necessary traveling expenses while on official business of the
commission. This subdivision shall be carried out only to the extent
funds are available.
(b) The commission shall select annually from its membership, a
chairperson and vice chairperson.
SEC. 5. Section 8244 of the Government Code is
amended to read:
8244. The commission shall have the powers and authority
necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon it by this chapter,
including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) To employ, to the extent funds are available, any
administrative, technical and other personnel as may be necessary for
the performance of its powers and duties.
(b) To hold hearings, make and sign any agreements and to do or
perform any acts which may be necessary, desirable, or proper to
carry out the purposes of this chapter.
(c) To cooperate with, and secure the cooperation of, any
department, division, board, bureau, commission, or other agency of
the state to facilitate it properly to carry out its powers and
duties hereunder.
(d) To appoint, to the extent funds are available, advisers or
advisory committees from time to time when the commission determines
that the experience or expertise of those advisers or advisory
committees is needed for projects of the commission. Section 11009 is
applicable to advisers or advisory committees.
(e) To accept any federal funds granted, by act of Congress or by
executive order, for all or any of the purposes of this chapter.
(f) To accept any gifts, donations, grants, or bequests for all or
any of the purposes of this chapter.
SEC. 6. Section 8245 of the Government Code is
amended to read:
8245. (a) The commission shall, to the extent funds are
available, study all of the following:
(1) Educational needs of women and girls.
(2) Women's economic opportunities and employment rights.
(3) Needs of working women, including, but not limited to, leave,
child care, and pay equity.
(4) The effect that the state budget has on women and children.
(5) Violence against women, including, but not limited to, human
trafficking.
(6) The Legislature may recommend that the commission study
additional current issues relevant to women.
(b) The commission shall, to the extent funds are available, act
as an information center on the status of women and women's
educational, employment, and other related needs.
(c) The commission shall, to the extent funds are available,
recommend, develop, prepare, or coordinate materials, projects, or
other activities, and shall give technical and consultative advice to
public or private groups or persons concerned with any of the topics
described in subdivision (a).
(d) A prime function of the commission to the extent funds are
available, shall, be to encourage women's organizations and other
groups to institute local self-help activities designed to meet women'
s educational, employment, and related needs. The commission shall
make reports on its activities, findings, and recommendations to the
Legislature from time to time, but not less often than every
odd-numbered year.
SEC. 3. Section 8245 of the Government
Code is amended to read:
8245. (a) The commission shall study the following:
(1) Women's educational and employment problems, needs,
and opportunities Educational needs of women and girls
.
(2) State laws in regard to the civil and political rights of
women, including pensions, tax requirements, property rights,
marriage and dissolution of marriage provisions, and similar matters.
(3) The effect of social attitudes and pressures and economic
considerations in shaping the roles to be assumed by women in the
society.
(4) Any laws, practices, or conditions concerning or affecting
women which impose special limitations or burdens upon them or upon
society, or which limit or tend to limit opportunities available to
women.
(2) Women's economic opportunities and employment rights.
(3) Needs of working women, including, but not limited to, leave,
child care, and pay equity.
(4) The effect that the state budget has on women and children.
(5) Violence against women, including, but not limited to, human
trafficking.
(6) Women in the military and military families.
(7) The Legislature may recommend that the commission study
additional current issues relevant to women.
(b) The commission shall act as an information center on the
status of women and women's educational, employment, and other
related needs.
(c) The commission shall recommend, develop, prepare, or
coordinate materials, projects, or other activities, and shall give
technical and consultative advice to public or private groups or
persons concerned with any of the following:
topics described in subdivision (a).
(1) Preventing or minimizing problems brought about by the
changing roles and responsibilities of women.
(2) Developing programs to encourage and enable women to be fully
contributing members of society.
(d) A prime function of the commission shall be to encourage women'
s organizations and other groups to institute local self-help
activities designed to meet women's educational, employment, and
related needs. The commission shall make reports on its activities,
findings, and recommendations to the Legislature from time to time,
but not less often than every odd-numbered year.
SEC. 7. SEC. 4. Section 8246 of the
Government Code is amended to read:
8246. (a) The commission is expressly authorized to inform the
Legislature of its position on any legislative proposal pending
before the Legislature and to urge the introduction of legislative
proposals to correct inequities provided in the State Budget.
(b) The commission is expressly authorized to state its position
and viewpoint on issues as they relate to the State Budget developed
in the performance of its duties and responsibilities as specified in
this chapter.
(c) The commission is expressly authorized to review the
implementation of any law to ensure that the law does not
discriminate against women or create an inequitable environment for
women.
