California Latino Commission.

Senators Padilla, Cervantes, Hurtado, and Rubio frame a proposal to create the California Latino Commission, a nine‑member body appointed by the Governor, the Senate President Pro Tempore, and the Speaker of the Assembly to address inequities in housing, education, economic mobility, labor, and health care; the proposal would establish a new statutory framework, empower data collection and analysis, require policy recommendations and program monitoring, and obligate an annual report to the Governor and Legislature, with the framework set to sunset on January 1, 2036.

The commission’s composition emphasizes expertise across housing policy and advocacy, education (notably community colleges or STEM fields), labor rights and union representation, public health and Medi‑Cal and poverty alleviation, economic development and Latino workforce opportunities, environment and climate change, small business and entrepreneurship, K–12 education, and an open category for other relevant areas; members would serve two‑year terms and meet at least quarterly to review data, develop strategies, and ensure state policies address Latino needs. The commission would exercise powers to collect and analyze data on disparities in housing, education, employment, and health care; develop recommendations on affordable housing, eviction prevention, rent control, and homelessness; pursue initiatives to raise Latino enrollment and graduation in STEM across public, private, and community colleges with mentorship and support services; promote policies to increase Latino participation in high‑wage, high‑tech sectors through apprenticeships; investigate and propose strategies to expand Latino involvement in organized labor; coordinate with health agencies to improve Medi‑Cal access and pursue long‑term poverty reduction and mobility; and monitor program implementation with annual reporting to the Governor and Legislature, while hosting annual public forums to involve communities in agenda setting.

Implementation would require collaboration with major state entities—the Department of Housing and Community Development, the University of California, California State University, and the California Community Colleges, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the State Department of Public Health, and the State Department of Education—along with other agencies as needed, with each agency obligated to provide appropriate and reasonable assistance to help the commission carry out its purposes. Funding would come from General Fund appropriations and federal and private grants, but no specific dollar amounts would be set in the measure; an annual report detailing the commission’s work, resources needed, and policy recommendations would be required in accordance with existing reporting standards. The chapter would remain in effect only through January 1, 2036, at which point it would be repealed unless extended by subsequent legislation.

Taken together, the measure designates a temporary, interagency‑collaborative body focused on data‑driven assessment and policy guidance across housing, education (with an emphasis on STEM), labor participation, health equity, and economic development for the Latino community, accompanied by public engagement and annual reporting to the state’s executive and legislative branches. Its implementation rests on interagency cooperation, legislative budgeting, and a defined sunset horizon that invites periodic evaluation of its work and potential continuation through future action.