About

The California Youth Empowerment Act (AB-46) was established to address the growing need to engage youth directly with policymakers. 

The Act established the California Youth Empowerment Commission to address, among other issues, the growing need to engage youth directly with policymakers. The commission consists of 13 voting commissioners between 14 and 25 years of age and meeting specified requirements, with 11 members appointed by the Governor, one at-large member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one at-large member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, along with several ex officio, nonvoting members from various geographic regions of the state. The commission is advisory in nature, for the main purpose of providing meaningful opportunities for civic engagement to improve the quality of life for California’s youth and especially disadvantaged youth whose voices often go unheard.

Membership

The commission includes: 

11 public members

appointed by the Governor. 

1 at-large member

appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. 

1 at-large member

appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. 

Several non-voting members

1 Member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, 1 Member of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services shall serve as nonvoting members of the commission