Today, Governor Schwarzenegger joined Senator Roy Ashburn at Discovery Park in Sacramento to urge the legislature to pass Senate Bill 1345, which will permanently remove the requirement that volunteers on public works projects be paid the prevailing wage. In 2004, the Governor signed legislation to remove this constraint, but without further legislative action this year, this legislation will expire. The Governor is committed to empowering the state's robust volunteer force and will continue to call on the legislature to take action. A committee vote on SB 1345 is scheduled this Wednesday.
“Government has its job to do, but government cannot do it all - the real action comes from the people…Without this law, public works projects - like building playgrounds or cleaning up beaches, rivers and parks - will be in jeopardy of not being completed. There have been no complaints to the Labor Commissioner, so it's time to make this common-sense law permanent.” –Governor Schwarzenegger, Statement, 3/26/08
To learn more about the Governor's
commitment to service and volunteerism visit: www.gov.ca.gov/issue/volunteerism.
For more information on service and volunteerism opportunities in California visit: www.californiavolunteers.org.
If the legislature fails to act, California's volunteers could be turned away
and non-profit groups could be forced to shut their doors.
- To prevent this from happening, the Governor is calling on the legislature to pass SB 1345. Government should welcome, encourage and empower California's volunteers, not tie them up in red tape. Passing SB 1345 ensures that the state's non-profit organizations and our robust volunteer force can continue to support our communities.
- Government responds best to both disasters and everyday challenges with the people's help. The October wildfires and the San Francisco Bay oil spill were prime examples of the strength and importance of California's volunteer force. Whether responding to a major disaster or assisting in a beach cleanup, California cannot afford to lose its greatest resource-its volunteers.
California's volunteers have a positive multi-billion dollar impact on the state's economy every year.
- In 2006, volunteers contributed 858 million hours of service to the California economy-a value of more than $17.4 billion. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, 6.5 million Californians (approximately 24 percent) over the age of sixteen volunteered in 2006; their hours represent a value of $17.4 billion.
- A one percent increase in the number of Californians who volunteer could have a $1 billion impact. A one percent increase in the number of Californians who volunteer would equal approximately 365,000 new volunteers contributing 48 million hours-equal to nearly $1 billion in service to the state.
The Governor is committed to continuing to strengthen service and volunteerism in California.
- In February, the Governor signed an Executive
Order to establish the new position of Secretary of Service and
Volunteering.
- The Governor's action will raise the profile of
service in the Golden State to a national level; improve coordination of
vital volunteer activities statewide and support local service efforts;
encourage more Californians to become involved with service and
volunteerism; help California respond to natural disasters and
emergencies; and give California's volunteers a voice at the highest
levels of state government, all without adding any new net costs to the
state budget.
- The Governor's action will raise the profile of
service in the Golden State to a national level; improve coordination of
vital volunteer activities statewide and support local service efforts;
encourage more Californians to become involved with service and
volunteerism; help California respond to natural disasters and
emergencies; and give California's volunteers a voice at the highest
levels of state government, all without adding any new net costs to the
state budget.
