Bill Text: CA AB1511 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 1511

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: State government: Ethnic and Community Media Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-08-15 - From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 15). [AB1511 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1511-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 23, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1511

Introduced by Assembly Member Santiago

February 17, 2023

An act to ~~amend Section 68501 of the Government Code, relating to courts.~~ add Article 13.5 (commencing with Section 12100.145) to Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1511, as amended, Santiago. ~~Courts: Judicial Council.~~ State government: Ethnic Media Program.

Existing law establishes the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, known as “GO-Biz,” within the Governor’s office to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth.
This bill would create the Ethnic Media Program in GO-Biz, led by a director, appointed by the Governor to serve a 5-year term, to help state departments integrate ethnic media into their public outreach and engagement strategies. The bill would require GO-Biz, in administering the program, to develop and maintain an ethnic media database, conduct education and outreach campaigns, cultivate relationships with ethnic media outlets, and advise state departments on ethnic media integration strategies, subject to appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would also authorize the director to make regulations that are reasonably necessary to further the purposes of the program.
This bill would require the director of the program or their designee, by January 1, 2029, to submit a report to the Legislature with specified information relating to coverage and translation of ethnic media and to the challenges, efforts to overcome challenges, and options to improve the program.
This bill would also make related legislative findings and declarations.
Existing law authorizes the chairperson of the Judicial Council to appoint committees, as prescribed, to advise with the council in studying various matters relating to the business of the courts, simplifying and improving the administration of justice, and other duties of the council.
~~This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.~~

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) California’s ethnic media sector is robust and diverse. Roughly 300 ethnic media outlets publish and broadcast in California, serving at least 38 different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities.
(b) California’s ethnic media sector has a long history of providing trusted, community-specific information and stories, and it is constantly evolving. They are a key community institution, carry significant local coverage, and have deep ties with the communities they serve. In addition to providing news and information, they play multiple roles, including information call center, event organizer, community advocate, connector of community assets, and providing a voice for their audience.
(c) The sector is dominated by small-scale, independent, local media, strapped for resources and financially vulnerable. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenge of sustainability.
(d) Ethnic media can serve as trusted brokers between the government and their diverse constituents, ensuring culturally relevant, effective messaging and facilitating problem solving. However, government agencies have underinvested in the state’s ethnic media, resulting in inequities for ethnic media and the communities they serve, and in missed opportunities for leveraging a key asset to strengthen the work of government.

SEC. 2.

Article 13.5 (commencing with Section 12100.145) is added to Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:

Article 13.5. Ethnic Media Program
12100.145.
(a) The Ethnic Media Program is hereby established in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) for the purpose of helping state departments integrate ethnic media into their public outreach and engagement strategies. The program shall be led by a director, appointed by the Governor to serve a five-year term.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Ethnic media” means any media produced by and for ethnic, racial, or cultural minorities.
(2) “Media outlet” means a publication that provides news or other media content through print or digital means and any television or radio outlet.
(c) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for the express purpose of this section, Go-Biz, in administering the program, shall do all of the following:
(1) Develop and maintain a database of ethnic media outlets including their media kits.
(2) Conduct education and outreach campaigns to departments to advocate for the importance of ethnic media and promote inclusive, equitable engagement strategies.
(3) Advise departments on tailoring ethnic media strategies for specific communities.
(4) Cultivate relationships with ethnic media outlets.
(d) (1) The director of the program or their designee shall submit a report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2029, that includes all of the following information:
(A) A list of ethnic media outlets that provided coverage of state programs and services.
(B) A list of all languages in which ethnic media coverage of state programs and services has been provided.
(C) The number of press releases that have been translated.
(D) A list of all languages into which press releases have been translated.
(E) The number of press releases that have been translated into each language.
(F) A discussion of the major challenges the program has faced, the ongoing efforts to address those challenges, and options to improve the program.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.
(3) The requirement imposed under this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2029.
(e) The director may make any regulations that are reasonably necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

SECTION 1.Section 68501 of the Government Code is amended to read:
68501.
The chairperson of the Judicial Council may appoint committees composed of official court reporters, judges, retired judges, attorneys, and experts in specialized fields, or any combination thereof, to advise with the Judicial Council in studying the condition of business in the several courts and the means for simplifying and improving the administration of justice, and in the performance of any other duties of the council authorized or imposed by law.