California Youth Leadership Project.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Education under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and provides for numerous duties of the department with respect to the education of youth. This bill would establish the California Youth Leadership Project under the department for the purpose of supporting and promoting youth civic engagement by awarding scholarships to youth from 14 to 18 years of age, in accordance with specified criteria, for youth and civic engagement programs that would improve the quality of life for California's disconnected and disadvantaged youth, as specified. The bill would create the California Youth Leadership Project Committee, which would be chaired by the Superintendent and be composed of specified appointed members. The bill would authorize the committee to enter into an interagency agreement with the department to carry out necessary administrative functions. The committee also would be charged with determining when there are sufficient funds to support the program, and if it determines that there are insufficient funds to cover all costs, the activities of the project would cease. The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes taxpayers to contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability for the support of specified funds. This bill would create in the State Treasury the California Youth Leadership Fund to receive contributions from tax return designations to support the California Youth Leadership Project. The bill would allocate all moneys transferred to the California Youth Leadership Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for the reimbursement of costs incurred, and to the department to provide for the California Youth Leadership Project. The bill would provide for the repeal of this contribution provision for this fund on January 1 of the 5th taxable year following the first appearance of the California Youth Leadership Fund on the tax return or on January 1 of an earlier calendar year, if the Franchise Tax Board estimates that the annual contribution amount will be less than $250,000, or an adjusted amount, as specified, for subsequent taxable years. The bill also would authorize the California Youth Leadership Project Committee to accept gifts and grants from any source to help perform its functions.