BILL ANALYSIS
AB 113
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 113 (Pavley)
As Amended July 11, 2001
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |60-10|(April 30, |SENATE: |24-4 |(July 19, |
| | |2001) | | |2001) |
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Original Committee Reference: B. & P.
SUMMARY : Establishes the position of and appointment process
for a California Poet Laureate. Specifically, this bill :
1)Creates the position of California Poet Laureate to be
appointed by the Governor from a list of three nominees
provided by the California Arts Council (Council).
2)Provides that the Council shall acquire the nominees using a
panel of three literary experts, which may include professors,
teachers, and public and private arts organizations with
significant literary components, professional poets, and
literary critics.
3)Provides that the panel shall solicit nominations from a broad
array of literary sources and individuals, including but not
limited to, the following:
a) University and college literature departments;
b) Literary organizations, societies, and centers;
c) Poetry book publishers and poetry editors;
d) Directors of poetry reading series; and,
e) Independent booksellers specializing in poetry.
4)Provides that a nominee must have resided in California for at
least 10 years and be a prominent poet with a significant
amount of published work.
5)Limits the appointment of the Poet Laureate to no more than
two, two-year terms.
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6)Provides that the Council may establish an appropriate stipend
for the Poet Laureate and shall provide for the payment of the
expenses of the Poet Laureate.
7)Provides that the Poet Laureate, as a condition of the
appointment, shall assume specified responsibilities set forth
by the Council.
8)Provides that the Poet Laureate shall make at least six public
readings during each term and undertake one specific project
that should last through the term. The project should
endeavor to make the poetic arts more accessible to California
and its students.
9)Encourages the Poet Laureate to coordinate his or her project
with any similar project being undertaken by the current
United States Poet Laureate.
10)Provides that the Council shall publish, beginning in 2010,
and every 10 years thereafter, an anthology of works by the
Poets Laureate of the previous decade.
11)Allows the Council to solicit and receive gifts, donations,
bequests, grants, or any other revenues, from public or
private sources, and to expend those funds to increase the
stipend of the Poet Laureate, and for any other purpose the
Council deems necessary.
The Senate amendments require that the Senate confirm the
California Poet Laureate nominee.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill established the position of
and appointment process for a California Poet Laureate.
FISCAL EFFECT : Minor annual General Fund (GF) costs (less than
$20,000) for the Poet Laureate's expenses and stipend. Minor GF
costs of about $25,000 every 10 years to publish the anthology.
COMMENTS : According to Dr. Kevin Starr, California State
Librarian, "When Californians honor one poet laureate, they
honor all poets as seers, those gifted with vision to see what
others cannot. Having a poet laureate for California would
serve to show the world that Californians acknowledge their
literary wealth as well as their commercial and industrial
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wealth."
California's most recent Poet Laureate, Charles Garrigus, a
former member of the Legislature, was appointed by a legislative
resolution in 1966. He held the position until his death in
October 2000.
This bill creates a statutory method for appointing the
California Poet Laureate for a limited term. The appointment
process is similar to methods used in a number of other states
as well as some California cities. A key aspect of the process
is the inclusion of a wide range of literary organizations,
college and university literary departments, poetry critics, and
other poets.
Supporters emphasize that the state's Poet Laureate should be an
important role model for all Californians, especially the youth,
who have literary interests. Because of California's broad and
diverse citizenry, such a role model also can have a positive
impact on outreach. Supporters believe that having someone in
this position who will actively promote poetry and literacy, and
who is knowledgeable of the lessons of history, will benefit the
state.
Analysis Prepared by : Chris L. Gallardo / B. & P. / (916)
319-3301
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