BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Isadore Hall, III
Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 1348 Hearing Date: 5/10/2016
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|Author: |Irwin |
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|Version: |1/14/2016 Amended |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Arthur Terzakis |
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SUBJECT: State Clearinghouse
DIGEST: This bill establishes the federal grant administrator
within the State Clearinghouse, under the Governor's Office of
Planning and Research (OPR), to serve as the state's primary
point of contact for information on federal grants related to
community, economic and local development. This bill also
requires the federal grant administrator to annually prepare a
summary of his or her activities, including total federal grants
received by the state, local governments and school districts,
as specified.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law requires the State Clearinghouse, which is located
within OPR, to serve as the 'State Single Point of Contact' for
coordinating state and local review of certain federal community
development-related documents, pursuant to Presidential
Executive Order 12372. In this capacity, the State
Clearinghouse coordinates the review of federal financial
assistance applications, federally required state plans, direct
federal development activities, and federal environmental
documents.
This bill:
1)Creates the federal grant administrator, within the State
Clearinghouse, who is an individual designated by the Governor
AB 1348 (Irwin) Page 2 of ?
to serve as the state's primary point of contact for
information on federal grants related to community, economic
and local development.
2)Authorizes the grant administrator to do the following:
a) Work with state and local governments, nonprofits,
foundations, institutions of higher education, and other
interested parties on applying for and managing federal
grants.
b) Support the establishment of a statewide network of
individuals who serve as point-of-contact for federal grant
opportunities.
c) Provide, or facilitate the provision of, in-person and
online training to encourage and improve the ability to
pursue and manage federal grants.
d) Develop and maintain information on OPR's Internet Web
site related to new federal grant opportunities, grant
management best practices, and other resources to support
the ability of state and local governments and nonprofit
entities to apply and manage federal grants.
3)Requires the grant administrator, starting on or before
January 1, 2018, to annually prepare a summary of federal
grant funding that tracks the following performance metrics:
a) Number of federal grants awarded to the state in prior
and current years, as specified.
b) Number of federal grant applications submitted for grant
funding.
c) Total federal dollars received by the state, school
districts and local governments each year.
d) Number of training sessions hosted, attendance at those
events and any other relevant information regarding federal
AB 1348 (Irwin) Page 3 of ?
grant activities within the state.
Background
The author's office notes that grants are becoming an increasing
part of the federal government's process for advancing new
federal policies. According to the federal Office of Management
and Budget, federal outlays for grants to state and local
governments increased from $91 billion in 1980 ($224 billion in
constant dollars) to approximately $546 billion in the 2013
federal fiscal year. The federal government allocates
approximately $550 billion in federal grants to state and local
governments annually on the basis of formulas established by law
or through a competitive process for project grants. For
competitive grants, policymakers choose a list of criteria that
guide evaluation and selection of applications. Competitive
federal grants for purposes such as research, implementation of
education reforms, or transportation projects are a growing
share of the national economy. The author's office contends
that California received over $66 billion in 2013 however that
sum is still below the national average for states according to
the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The author's office states that this bill provides the
coordinating functions necessary to manage and maximize federal
grant opportunities for the state and local governments. The
author's office also points out that several states (e.g.,
Arizona, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Rhode Island) have
created a Federal Grant Office to maximize their state's federal
grant opportunities. Additionally, the author's office
emphasizes that even small improvements in the cumbersome
process of identifying, tracking, applying and competing, and
spending federal grant dollars can mean large returns for
California.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: Yes Local: No
SUPPORT:
California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
League of California Cities
OPPOSITION:
AB 1348 (Irwin) Page 4 of ?
None received