BILL ANALYSIS SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Gloria Romero, Chair 2009-2010 Regular Session BILL NO: SB 944 AUTHOR: Runner AMENDED: March 16, 2010 FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: March 24, 2010 URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill SUBJECT : Ronald Reagan Day SUMMARY This bill designates February 6 of each year as Ronald Reagan 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 February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. BACKGROUND Existing law designates a number of days as days having special significance, when public schools are encouraged, but not required, to conduct commemorative exercises integrated into regular school programs. Current law establishes the following days as having special significance (Education Code 37222): a) April 6 of each year as California Poppy Day. b) April 21 of each year as John Muir Day. c) The second Wednesday in May as the Day of the Teacher. d) May 22 of each year as Harvey Milk Day. Existing law also requires the Governor to proclaim various days to remember individuals. These days include September 28 as Cabrillo Day; January 15 as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; March 31, as Cesar Chavez Day; and April 21 as John Muir Day. (Government Code 6708, et seq.) ANALYSIS This bill : 1) Makes various findings and declarations concerning the SB 944 Page 2 life of Ronald Reagan. 2) Designates February 6 of each year as Ronald Reagan Day, to be a day having special significance when all public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to conduct exercises remembering the life of Ronald Reagan, recognizing his accomplishments as well as the contributions he made to the state. 3) Requires the Governor to annually proclaim February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. STAFF COMMENTS 1) Need for the bill : Ronald Reagan served as the Governor of California from 1967 to 1975 and as President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. By designating his birthday as a special day of significance, the authors hope this bill will encourage public schools and educational institutions to conduct suitable commemorative exercises to recognize Ronald Reagan's accomplishments and familiarize pupils with his contributions to California. 2) Related and prior legislation : SB 572 (Leno, Chapter 626, Statutes of 2009) designated May 22 of each year as a special day of significance for remembering the life and contributions of Harvey Milk. SB 572 was heard and approved by this committee on a 7-2 vote on May 6, 2009. SB 1256 (Hancock) designates January 23 of each year as a special day of significance for the purpose of observing the life and contributions of Ed Roberts and familiarizing pupils with the contributions of other Californians with disabilities. 1) Recognition criteria . This bill, along with SB 1256, raises a question about the need for a broader policy discussion about the criteria and process for determining special days of significance in the public schools. Notwithstanding the extraordinary accomplishments of Ronald Reagan, should other SB 944 Page 3 noteworthy Californians, such as the other 50 inductees of the California Hall of Fame, be similarly recognized? To avoid the potential proliferation of special recognition days, should the Legislature establish specific criteria for who or what is recognized? Should the process for approving special days of significance in the public schools be delegated to the State Board of Education who might review proposals for consistency with the state's academic content standards and curriculum frameworks? SUPPORT None received. OPPOSITION None received.