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Senate panel hears SB 12 to create California Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Agency
Summary
Senator Gonzales presented SB 12 to create a statewide agency to coordinate services for California’s immigrant and refugee communities. Supporters said the agency would close gaps in access and coordinate services for families, workers, and students; no formal opposition was recorded in the transcript provided.
Senator Connie Gonzales presented SB 12, a bill to create a California Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Agency intended to coordinate statewide programs and outreach for the state’s immigrant and refugee population.
Gonzales said California is home to more than 10 million immigrants who contribute substantially to the state’s economy and workforce. She said the proposed agency would mirror offices in other states and localities and improve access to services for diverse immigrant communities, including mixed‑status families and communities with limited access to information about benefits and programs.
Witnesses in support included Amal Armenta, director of UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute, who testified about immigrants’ economic contributions and service participation gaps; Jane Pack of Refugee and Immigrant Transitions, who described barriers refugees face in accessing programs; and Cynthia Gomez of CHIRLab, who provided technical support. A broad coalition of local governments, education and civil‑rights groups registered support in the hearing.
Senators asked few substantive questions during the hearing; no witnesses registered formal opposition in the transcript provided. The author said she accepted committee amendments and asked for an Aye vote at the appropriate time.
The committee did not record a final vote in the supplied transcript.
