[The Hill] California state Senator Ricardo Lara (D) introduced legislation on Monday aimed at allowing undocumented immigrants to serve on all state and local boards and commissions. "California is stronger when we utilize talents of all our residents, and opening state and local boards and commissions to every Californian will allow us to better serve our diverse communities," Lara said in a statement, according to The Sacramento Bee.
"Undocumented Californians are our neighbors, co-workers and parents, and as lawmakers we can’t make good policy if their voices are left out of the discussion."
Under the proposed bill, boards and commissions would have to determine if the appointee at hand could be compensated based on their immigration status and federal law, the Bee reported.
The legislation comes as tension between the Trump administration and California increases due to differences in immigration policy.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state in March, which aimed to block three sanctuary laws that the state's legislature passed last year in response to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement measures.