AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 15, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 23, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Senator Laird

February 19, 2026

An act to amend Section 21023.5 of the Government Code, to amend Section 1171 of the Labor Code, and to amend Sections 14000, 14300, 14303, 14304, 14310, 14315, 14318, 14400, 14415, and 14424 of, to repeal Section 14308 of, and to repeal Chapter 3.2 (commencing with Section 14350) of Division 12 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to the California Conservation Corps, and making an appropriation therefor.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: yes   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

(1) Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps in the Natural Resources Agency. Existing law requires the Governor to appoint the director of the corps to act as the administrative officer of the corps and assigns specified responsibilities to the director. Existing law makes various findings and declarations relating to the corps.

This bill would revise those findings and declarations relating to the corps, as provided. The bill would eliminate the director’s authority to establish a training program for members of county or city conservation corps, as provided. The bill would also repeal a redundant statute.

Existing law requires young adults participating in the corps program to generally be engaged in projects that do a list of specified things, including assisting in fire prevention and suppression. Existing law requires those projects to provide opportunities to the public for their education or other specified purposes.

This bill would instead require those projects to assist in wildfire prevention and suppression, and would include forest resiliency, among other projects, to that list, as specified. This bill would require the projects to also provide those opportunities to California Native American tribes and corpsmembers.

Existing law authorizes the corps to enter into a contract with an individual or a collective of community conservation corps for a project or program, as provided.

This bill would authorize the corps to also enter into a contract with a conservation corps established by California Native American tribes for a project or program, as specified.

Existing law requires the corps to report to specified committees of the Legislature by December 31 of each year the number of corpsmembers in the cohort who received an associate or bachelor’s degree while serving in the corps or in the 12-month period following final separation from the corps and, among other things, to the extent feasible, the number of corpsmembers who enrolled in postsecondary education in the 12-month period following final separation from the corps.

This bill would delete that requirement to report on the number of corpsmembers who received an associate or bachelor’s degree. The bill would revise the requirement to report on the number of corpsmembers who enrolled in postsecondary education to have that data reported and disaggregated as the number enrolled at a California Community College, California State University, University of California, or private postsecondary educational institution.

(2) The Public Employees’ Retirement Law creates the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), which is administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System. PERS provides defined benefits to its members based on their final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. Existing law establishes the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund, which is a trust fund that is appropriated continuously for specified purposes, into which certain moneys are deposited, including employee contributions.

Existing law authorizes a member of PERS to elect to receive service credit for certain public service outside the system, including time served as a volunteer in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, by making specified contributions to the system.

This bill would also authorize a member to elect to receive service credit for service as a corpsmember or special corpsmember with the corps, subject to making the required contributions for that service. By increasing the amount of employee contributions to the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

(3) Existing law regulates the wages, hours, and working conditions of employees with specified exceptions. Under existing law, these provisions apply to and include employees in any occupation, trade, or industry, except for any individual employed as an outside salesperson or any individual participating in a national service program carried out using assistance, as provided.

This bill would additionally exempt corpsmembers from those provisions.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 21023.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

21023.5.

(a) “Public service” for purposes of this article also means time served, not to exceed three years, as a volunteer in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America), AmeriCorps, or as a corpsmember or special corpsmember with the California Conservation Corps pursuant to Division 12 (commencing with Section 14000) of the Public Resources Code.

(b) This section shall not apply to any contracting agency nor to the employees of any contracting agency until the agency elects to be subject to this section by contract or by amendment to its contract made in the manner prescribed for approval of contracts.

(c) Any member electing to receive credit for service under this section shall make the contributions as specified in Sections 21050 and 21052. This section applies to past and future service in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America), AmeriCorps, or as a corpsmember or special corpsmember with the California Conservation Corps pursuant to Division 12 (commencing with Section 14000) of the Public Resources Code.

SEC. 2.

Section 1171 of the Labor Code is amended to read:

1171.

(a) The provisions of this chapter shall apply to and include adults and minors employed in any occupation, trade, or industry, whether compensation is measured by time, piece, or otherwise, but shall not include the following:

(1) An individual employed as an outside salesperson.

(2) An individual participating in a national service program carried out using assistance provided under Section 12571 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(3) An individual participating in the California Conservation Corps or community conservation corps certified by the California Conservation Corps pursuant to Section 14507.5 of the Public Resources Code.

(b) Any individual participating in a program described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) shall be informed by the program before the commencement of service of the requirement, if any, to work hours in excess of eight hours per day, or 40 hours per week, or both, and shall have the opportunity to opt out of that national service program at that time. Individuals participating in a program described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) shall not be discriminated against or be denied continued participation in the program for refusing to work overtime for a legitimate reason.

SEC. 3.

Section 14000 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14000.

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that every California young adult should be encouraged to reach their full potential, but that many young adults 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 adults, is beneficial not only to the young adults of the state by providing them with educational, training, 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, relieving individuals from unemployment, and the goal of helping young adults become productive citizens and environmental stewards.

(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 young adults, 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 young adults 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 always look to the corps first to perform those projects that meet the mission of the corps.

(g) It is further the intent of the Legislature that the young adults who have successfully completed at least one year of service with the corps be recognized for their dedication and development and that all state entities look for paths to include former corpsmembers into their organization.

SEC. 4.

Section 14300 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14300.

Young adults participating in the corps program shall generally be engaged in projects that relate to or support natural resources and energy conservation, preservation, and engagement, including projects that 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 wildfire prevention and suppression, and forest resiliency.

(g) Directly contribute to the conservation of energy.

(h) Contribute toward making public facilities accessible to persons with disabilities.

(i) Assist departments within the Natural 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.

(j) Provide technical, administrative, culinary, and other services to individuals and entities engaged in work aligning with subdivisions (a) to (i), inclusive.

SEC. 5.

Section 14303 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14303.

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

SEC. 6.

Section 14304 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14304.

Projects shall be directed toward providing opportunities to the public, California Native American tribes, and corpsmembers for their education or the use of natural resources and environmentally important public lands and waters, while additionally providing young adults with an opportunity for personal development in a variety of basic skills. Projects shall be undertaken in both urban and rural areas and selected based on 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.

SEC. 7.

Section 14308 of the Public Resources Code is repealed.

SEC. 8.

Section 14310 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14310.

Notwithstanding any other law, corpsmembers and special corpsmembers, other than staff officers and employees, shall not receive state retirement benefits, except as set forth in Section 21023.5 of the Government Code.

SEC. 9.

Section 14315 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

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. State agencies 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 young adults, 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 created 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.

(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) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

(14) Employment Training Fund.

(15) Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund.

(16) California Beverage Container Recycling Fund.

(17) California Cannabis Tax Fund.

(18) Good Neighbor Authority 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.

SEC. 10.

Section 14318 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14318.

(a) The corps may enter into a contract with an individual or collective of community conservation corps certified pursuant to Section 14507.5, or a conservation corps established by one or more California Native American tribes, for a project or program that furthers the objectives specified in Section 14000 and that consists of one or more of the following:

(1) Natural resources and land management projects.

(2) Energy and climate programs.

(3) Emergency response services.

(4) Educational, programming, and training services.

(5) Corpsmember services.

(6) Ancillary services.

(b) The director may establish guidelines for purposes of this section. If the director establishes guidelines for purposes of this section, a contract entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall adhere to those guidelines.

(c) (1) On or before January 1, 2025, January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2029, the corps shall submit a report with the appropriate committees of the Legislature on the outcomes of any program or project undertaken pursuant to this section. A report filed pursuant to this subdivision shall focus on the previous two calendar years.

(2) A report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(3) The requirement to submit a report pursuant to paragraph (1) is inoperative on January 1, 2033, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

SEC. 11.

Chapter 3.2 (commencing with Section 14350) of Division 12 of the Public Resources Code is repealed.

SEC. 12.

Section 14400 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14400.

The corps shall develop nonresidential programs in urban communities, and may develop the programs in nonurban communities with high concentrations of ethnic-minority young adults, high levels of young adult unemployment, and a need for conservation work. Expenditures for programs in nonurban communities shall not exceed 15 percent of total funding for programs under this section.

SEC. 13.

Section 14415 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14415.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) Conserving or developing natural resources and enhancing and maintaining environmentally important lands and waters is essential for protecting the state’s environment, bolstering its economy, and providing safe and resilient communities for Californians to live in.

(2) The California Conservation Camp program operated jointly by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection provides work crews of incarcerated individuals to assist in all types of emergencies in support of the work of our frontline personnel during wildfires, floods, search and rescue, and earthquakes. When not assisting in emergencies, the crews participate in conservation and community service work projects for state, federal, and local government agencies.

(3) The corps is the oldest and largest state conservation corps in the nation that puts young adults and the environment together to benefit both, tasking young adults to protect and restore California’s environment, respond to disasters, and become stronger workers, citizens, and individuals through their service.

(4) The corps offers a unique opportunity to form strategic partnerships to provide valuable job opportunities in resource conservation, resource management, fuels and vegetation management, and emergency incident mitigation for formerly incarcerated individuals who successfully served on a California Conservation Camp program crew.

(5) Building on their valuable experience in the California Conservation Camp program, a segment of former California Conservation Camp program participants may be available to support the federal, state, and local governments, local publicly owned electric utilities and electrical corporations, fire safe councils, and private landowners in helping California meet its aggressive goals to do all of the following:

(A) Proactively restore forest health to reduce greenhouse gases.

(B) Protect source watersheds originating from the state’s water supply.

(C) Promote the long-term storage of carbon in forest trees and soils.

(D) Minimize the loss of forest carbon from large, intense wildfires.

(E) Further the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).

(6) Research demonstrates that formerly incarcerated individuals who have low performance, involvement, and satisfaction with school or work are more likely to recidivate than individuals who do not exhibit these characteristics. Research also shows that rehabilitation programs, including substance use disorder treatment and employment preparation, can be designed to address specific criminal risk factors.

(7) While participating in the corps, corpsmembers are offered life skills training, training in environmental awareness and civic responsibility, as well as reentry and counseling services, and gain access to high school courses through the corps’ existing contracts and cooperation with high schools and community colleges.

(8) Drawing upon the expertise of the corps, collaborations and partnerships with workforce development programs and local and state agencies can be established to provide valuable job opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, consistent with the expertise of the corps to increase awareness of and improve our natural resources, instill basic skills and a healthy work ethic, build character, self-esteem, and self-discipline, establish a workforce with a strong sense of civic responsibility, and blend academic and growth opportunities in order to develop productive citizens who can make substantial contributions as California workers and citizens.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to serve the interests of all Californians by providing hope and opportunity for formerly incarcerated individuals by offering additional pathways to employment with a living wage in jobs that move the state forward on critical resource management objectives while providing those individuals the opportunity to make a difference for themselves and for the people of California.

SEC. 14.

Section 14424 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

14424.

(a) Commencing January 1, 2020, the corps shall report by December 31 of each year the total number of corpsmembers in the cohort who permanently separated from the corps during the state fiscal year that ended 18 months before the date the report is due.

(b) To the extent feasible, the report shall include the number of corpsmembers in the cohort who did any of the following in the 12-month period following final separation from the corps:

(1) Enrolled in an adult school or other precollegiate-level program.

(2) Enrolled in an apprenticeship or other vocational education program.

(3) Enrolled in postsecondary education, reported and disaggregated as the number enrolled at a California Community College, California State University, University of California, or private postsecondary educational institution.

(4) Were employed during the second and fourth quarters.

(5) Were simultaneously employed and enrolled in a secondary, postsecondary, or apprenticeship or other vocational education program.

(6) Obtained employment in jobs that they received specialized training to perform while they were enrolled in the corps.

(c) To assess longer-term outcomes for corpsmembers, the report shall also include the number of corpsmembers in the cohort who received any of the following either while serving in the corps or in the 12-month period following final separation from the corps:

(1) A high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

(2) An industry-recognized credential.

(d) To assess the performance of variations in the delivery of the corps’ programs, the corps shall disaggregate the data reported pursuant to this section into the following subgroups of corpsmembers:

(1) Partial-year corpsmembers, who enrolled in the corps for a period of more than 60 days but less than one year.

(2) Full-year corpsmembers, who enrolled in the corps for a period of one year or more.

(3) Residential center corpsmembers, who resided in a residential center for the majority of the time they were enrolled in the corps.

(4) Nonresidential center corpsmembers, who reported to a nonresidential center for the majority of the time they were enrolled in the corps.

(e) The corps shall provide the report to the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the budget committees in both houses of the Legislature, as well as the relevant budget subcommittees and policy committees in both houses of the Legislature that have subject matter jurisdiction over the corps.