Senate BillFailedPublic Resources
SB 803: California Conservation Corps: Green Collar Certification Program.
What SB 803 does, verified February 3, 2026
The bill aims to amend the existing conservation program to focus on energy conservation, clean energy, and sustainable solutions. It requires corpsmembers to participate in projects that promote these goals. The bill establishes a green collar certification program, providing skills and education in areas such as reducing carbon emissions, preparing communities for environmental disasters, and developing conservation infrastructure projects. The program is designed to collaborate with various entities to identify emerging workforce needs. The bill also authorizes the program to accept grants and donations from public and private sources, and continuously appropriates the funds to support the program. This creates a dedicated fund for the program and provides a source of ongoing funding.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions14 total · showing 5
| Feb. 02, 2026 | Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| May. 23, 2025 | May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. |
| May. 16, 2025 | Set for hearing May 23. |
| Apr. 28, 2025 | April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr. 17, 2025 | Set for hearing April 28. |
Latest bill textAmended version, April 9, 2025 · 1,047 words
| Amended IN Senate April 09, 2025 |
| Amended IN Senate March 28, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 803
| Introduced by Senator Durazo |
February 21, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 14300 of, and to add Section 14307.5 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to conservation, and making an appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 803, as amended, Durazo. California Conservation Corps: Green Collar Certification Program.
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps and requires young adults participating in the corps program to be generally engaged in projects that do specified things, including, among other things, projects that directly contribute to the conservation of energy.
This bill would instead require young adults participating in the corps program to be generally engaged in projects that, among other things, promote or contribute to the conservation of energy and the development or enhancement of clean energy, climate resilience, or sustainable nature-based solutions.
Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that the corps blend academic and job skills training with personal growth opportunities in order to develop productive youths who can make substantial contributions as California workers and citizens.
This bill would require the Director of the California Conservation Corps to establish a Green Collar Certification Program that provides corpsmembers participating in the corps with skills and education including, but not limited to, reducing carbon emissions in residential and nonresidential buildings, preparing communities for environmental disasters, and developing conservation infrastructure projects that stabilize shorelines and restore ecological habitats, as provided. The bill would require the director to issue a Green Collar Certificate to a corpsmember who successfully completes the program. The bill would require the director, in administering the program, to collaborate with specified entities to identify emerging workforce needs, as specified. The bill would authorize the director to authorize certified community conservation corps to implement the program pursuant to guidelines established by the corps, as specified.
This bill would also authorize the director to apply for and accept grants or donations of funds from any public or private source that are provided for specified purposes relating to the program. The bill would establish the Green Collar Certification Program Fund and would require the grants or donations described above to be deposited into the fund. The bill would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the director for specified purposes relating to the program. By providing for the continuous appropriation of fund moneys to the director, this bill would create an appropriation.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 14300 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:14300.
Young adults participating in the corps program shall generally be engaged in projects that do any of the following:(a) Preserve, maintain, and enhance environmentally important lands and waters.
(b) Accomplish useful and needed public works projects in both urban and rural areas.
(c) Conserve, maintain, improve, and develop natural resources in both urban and rural areas.
(d) Provide opportunities for public use of, or education in, the areas, projects, and resources described in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c).
(e) Assist in emergency operations, such as natural disaster relief and the rescue of lost and injured persons.
(f) Assist in fire prevention and suppression.
(g) Promote or contribute to the conservation of energy and the development or enhancement of clean energy, climate resilience, or sustainable nature-based solutions.
(h) Contribute toward making public facilities accessible to persons with disabilities.
(i) Assist departments within the Natural Resources Agency in developing, rehabilitating, and restoring parklands, recreational facilities, and historical resources; restoring salmon and steelhead spawning, nursery, and rearing habitat; restoring and preserving wildlife habitat; and enhancing reforestation in both urban and rural areas.
SEC. 2.
Section 14307.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:14307.5.
(a) The director shall establish a Green Collar Certification Program that provides corpsmembers participating in the corps with skills and education including, but not limited to, reducing carbon emissions in residential and nonresidential buildings, preparing communities for environmental disasters, and developing conservation infrastructure projects that stabilize shorelines and restore ecological habitats.(b) The director shall issue a Green Collar Certificate to a corpsmember who successfully completes the Green Collar Certification Program.
(c) The Green Collar Certification Program shall prepare corpsmembers to enter the workforce, apply for an apprentice program, or pursue higher education.
(d) In developing and administering the Green Collar Certification Program, to identify emerging workforce needs, particularly in renewable energy, environmental restoration, and disaster preparedness sectors the director shall collaborate with all of the following:
(1) Local builders and contractors, including small businesses and minority-owned enterprises.
(2) The Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship to establish pathways into registered apprenticeship programs.
(3) Environmental organizations and conservation groups to provide field-based training.
(4) Community colleges and vocational training centers to offer coursework and certification in relevant fields.
(5) Labor unions and trade associations to facilitate entry into high-demand sectors.
(e) (1) The director may authorize certified community conservation corps, as defined in Section 14507.5, to implement the Green Collar Certification Program, pursuant to guidelines established by the corps. The director shall collaborate with the community conservation corps in the development of the guidelines.
(2) The development and adoption of program guidelines necessary to effectuate or implement the program pursuant to this section shall not be subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(f) (1) The director may apply for and accept grants or donations of funds from any public or private source that are provided for the specific purpose of purchasing, renting, or otherwise acquiring or obtaining necessary property, supplies, instruments, tools, equipment, and conveniences for the Green Collar Certification Program.
(2) Any moneys received pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deposited into the Green Collar Certification Program Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code or any other law, all moneys deposited into the fund shall be continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, to the director for purposes of paragraph (1). Only those grants or donations described in paragraph (1) may be deposited into the fund and General Fund moneys shall not be deposited into the fund.
Text of SB 803 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions