A.B.1885

Summary

Existing provisions of federal law regulate immigration. This bill would require the Employment Development Department and the Department of Food and Agriculture to determine the extent of labor shortages in the state agricultural and service industries and provide that information to specified federal government entities. The bill would require those departments to convene a working group to address the issues relating to a work permit program for undocumented persons who are agricultural or service industry employees to work and live in the state, and to serve as liaison to the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Department of Justice to ensure that state departments are not taking on responsibilities in matters dealing with immigration policy that are the jurisdiction of the federal government. The bill would require the working group to create and submit to the Legislature and the Governor a report expressing its recommendations, which would be required to incorporate specified provisions describing a model program. The bill would require the Governor, using the report, to make a formal request to the federal government to implement a program to provide undocumented persons who are agricultural or service industry employees with a permit to work and live in California. The bill would require the Governor to issue an explanation if the federal government proposes a program and the Governor disapproves of the proposed program. The bill would make the implementation of these requirements contingent on a determination by the Employment Development Department and the Department of Food and Agriculture that nonstate funds are available for the purposes of the bill. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact necessary implementing legislation if the federal government approves or adopts a program to provide undocumented persons who are agricultural or service industry employees with a permit to work and live in California.