BILL ANALYSIS Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair 369 (Maldonado) Hearing Date: 5/4/2009 Amended: 4/28/2009 Consultant: Maureen Ortiz Policy Vote: VA 7-0 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: SB 369 requires the National League of POW/MIA Families flag be flown at all state-owned buildings and facilities during business hours where the United States and the California state flags are currently flown, if the flag can be attached to existing structures. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund POW/MIA flags $22 $0 $0 General $83 $0 $0 Special* *Various Special Funds _____________________________________________________________________ STAFF COMMENTS: The author has recently amended SB 369 to clarify that the state-owned buildings will only be required to fly the POW/MIA flag if it can be attached to existing flagpoles or other existing structures on which the United States flag or California flag currently fly. There had been some confusion over the interpretation of the previous language in the bill requiring state agencies to fly the POW/MIA flag "to the extent structurally feasible". Additionally, SB 369 authorizes the state to accept donations of the POW/MIA flags and related materials. There are approximately 1,500 state-owned buildings that will have purchase the POW/MIA flag with costs ranging from $45 to $70 per flag. Approximately 314 of those buildings are under General Fund departments, consequently, the maximum General Fund cost will be about $22,000 with the remainder of the above costs resulting from various Special Funds. Since the bill provides that the flag is required only to the extent there is an existing structure on which to fly the flag, not all state buildings will be required to purchase the flag, and, therefore, actual costs will likely be much lower. Existing law already requires the POW/MIA flag to be flown at certain state buildings including: 1) all National Guard armories, 2) DVA, 3) Military Dept, 4) State Capitol, 5) BT&H, 6) CalEPA, 7) H&HS Agency, 8) Office of Child Development and Education, 9) Resources Agency, 10) State and Consumer Services, and 11) Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, therefore, there will not be any additional costs to these entities. This flag is currently flown only on specific dates including: 1) Armed Forces Day, 2) Memorial Day, 3) Flag Day, 4) Independence Day, 5) National POW/MIA Day, and 6) Veterans Day. The flag of the National League of POW/MIA Families is a black and white banner symbolizing those members of the United States Armed Forces who are listed as POW or MIA.