BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                              Gloria Romero, Chair
                           2009-2010 Regular Session
                                        

          BILL NO:       AB 264
          AUTHOR:        Cook and Lieu
          AMENDED:       June 25, 2009
          FISCAL COMM:   No             HEARING DATE:  July 8, 2009
          URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:    Beth Graybill

           SUBJECT  :  Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day
          
           SUMMARY  

          This bill designates March 30 of each year as Welcome Home  
          Vietnam Veterans Day, and calls for the day to be observed  
          by the public schools as a day of special significance.   
          The bill also requires the Governor to annually proclaim  
          March 30 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.  

           BACKGROUND  

          Current law designates a number of days as days having  
          special significance, when public schools are encouraged to  
          conduct suitable commemorative exercises integrated into  
          the regular school programs.  Current law calls for the  
          second Wednesday in May to be the Day of the Teacher, April  
          21 each year to be John Muir Day and April 6 each year to  
          be California Poppy Day. 

          Current law also requires the Governor to proclaim various  
          days to remember individuals or groups.  These days include  
          September 28 as Cabrillo Day, January 15 as Dr. Martin  
          Luther King, Jr. Day; February 19 as "A Day of Remembrance:  
           Japanese American Evacuation," March 31, as Caesar Chavez  
          Day; and April 21 as John Muir Day.  

           ANALYSIS
           
           This bill:

           1)   Makes various findings and declarations concerning the  
               contributions of those involved in the Vietnam  
               conflict.  





                                                                AB 264
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          2)   Designates March 30 of each year as Welcome Home  
               Vietnam Veterans Day, to be a day having special  
               significance when all public schools and educational  
               institutions are encouraged to conduct exercises  
               recognizing the contributions of all those involved in  
               the Vietnam War and remembering the sacrifices they  
               made for their country.

          3)   Requires the Governor to annually proclaim March 30 as  
               Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.

           STAFF COMMENTS  

           Previous legislation  .  ACR 151 (Cook and DeVore, Resolution  
          Chapter 163, 2008) recognized December 10 through 14, 2008  
          as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Week."  

           SUPPORT  

          Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council

           OPPOSITION

           None received.