BILL NUMBER: SB 480 CHAPTERED 10/12/01 CHAPTER 768 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 12,2001 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 15, 2001 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 14, 2001 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 6, 2001 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 27, 2001 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 20, 2001 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 18, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 21, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 18, 2001 INTRODUCED BY Senator Johannessen (Coauthors: Senators Monteith, Oller, and Soto) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Cardenas, Chavez, Cogdill, Cox, Diaz, Dickerson, Kelley, Maddox, Robert Pacheco, Pavley, Pescetti, Strickland, and Wyman) FEBRUARY 22, 2001 An act relating to veterans, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. (Approved by Governor October 11, 2001. Filed with Secretary of State October 12, 2001.) I have signed Senate Bill 480 with a deletion. This bill would have appropriated $100,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for a local assistance grant to the California Military Museum. The Museum currently operates on funds raised by its Foundation, donations, and occasional legislative appropriations. If it does not receive funds this year, it could close its doors. The Museum provides a vital service to the state in honoring the men and women who have served in the military. Although I have deleted the General Fund appropriation, I am directing the Department of Parks and Recreation to allocate $100,000 from existing funds to the California Military Museum to ensure their continued operations. GRAY DAVIS, Governor LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 480, Johannessen. California Military Museum. Existing law provides for the establishment of the California Military Museum, located in the Old Sacramento State Historic Park. This bill would appropriate the sum of $100,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for a local assistance grant to the California Military Museum. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature in enacting these provisions. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Appropriation: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) In 1981, the State of California authorized the Adjutant General of the California National Guard to establish a military museum under Section 179 of the Military and Veterans Code. (b) In 1983, the California Military Museum Foundation established a military museum in historic Old Sacramento near the California State Railroad Museum. (c) In 1993, the Legislature transferred Civil War artifacts from the State Capitol to the California Military Museum under Section 179.5 of the Military and Veterans Code. (d) In 1995, the California Military Museum was designated as the official military museum of California by the Governor. (e) In 2000, Chapter 16 of the Statutes of 2000 authorized the transfer of unclaimed military awards and decorations from the Controller to the California Military Museum. (f) The California Military Museum maintains, preserves, and displays military artifacts and equipment at California National Guard facilities located in Los Alamitos, Camp San Luis Obispo, and Camp Roberts. (g) The California Military Museum is the official United States Department of the Army historical holding for the California National Guard, as designated by the United States Army Center for Military History. (h) During the decade of the 1990s, the closing of numerous military installations of all services in California, including Ford Ord, the Presidio of San Francisco, and Mather Air Force Base caused numerous historical California military memorabilia and collections to be lost, scattered, or placed in storage and created a substantially increased demand on the California Military Museum in terms of space, staff, and financial obligations. (i) California remains the state with both the largest number of military veterans and military retirees in the United States, and this situation, that began after World War II, continues today. (j) Much of the history of California has been involved with the wars fought by the United States in Europe, the Pacific Rim, and the Middle East. (k) The California Military Museum currently has for display over 30,000 artifacts that include weapons, uniforms, unit records, battle flags, medals, and other information of great historical significance from the early beginnings of Spanish California, and continuing through the Bear Flag Republic, the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and all military wars and emergencies of the 20th century. (l) It is in the best interest of all Californians and the nation that urgent steps be taken to preserve and protect the military artifacts and memorabilia that make up California's military history. SEC. 2. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for a local assistance grant to the California Military Museum. SEC. 3. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to provide funds to the California Military Museum for the entire 2001-02 fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2001, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.