BILL ANALYSIS SB 944 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 944 (Runner and Strickland) As Amended June 23, 2010 Majority vote SENATE VOTE :34-0 EDUCATION 5-1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Nestande, Arambula, | | | | |Carter, Miller, Torlakson | | | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| |Nays:|Ammiano | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Designates February 6 of each year as Ronald Reagan Day, a day of special significance. Specifically, this bill : 1)Makes legislative findings and declarations regarding the life, career, contributions and death of Ronald Reagan, including his accomplishments as both Governor of California and President of the United States. 2)Adds February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day to the list of days having special significance, and requires the Governor to annually proclaim February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. 3)Encourages all public schools and educational institutions to observe this day and conduct exercises remembering the life of Ronald Reagan, recognizing his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires public schools to close on or for a number of holidays, including, January 1, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln Day, Washington Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, December 25, all days appointed by the Governor or the President for a public fast, thanksgiving or holiday, and any other day designated as a holiday by the governing board of the school district; also SB 944 Page 2 requires, for some of these holidays, that schools conduct exercises or instruction that focus students on the purpose of that holiday. 2)Authorizes public schools to close on or for other holidays, if the governing board pursuant to an agreement under collective bargaining agrees; these include Cesar Chavez Day and Native American Day. Also authorizes public schools to conduct exercises or instruction that focus students on the purpose of these holidays. 3)Requires public schools to remain open and celebrate specific holidays with appropriate commemorative exercises, including the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, the birthday of Luther Burbank, Susan B. Anthony Day, and the anniversary of the death of Crispus Attucks (Black American Day). 4)Designates the Day of the Teacher, John Muir Day, California Poppy Day, Harvey Milk Day and Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day as days having special significance, when public schools are encouraged to observe and conduct specified commemorative exercises. FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal. COMMENTS : Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981-1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967-1975). Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, attended nearby Eureka College, worked as a sports announcer in radio, and moved to Los Angeles in the late 1930's to begin a career as an actor; he appeared first in films and later television, eventually appearing in 52 movie productions. Reagan also served twice as the president of the Screen Actors Guild (1947-52, 1959-60). Originally a member of the Democratic Party, he switched to the Republican Party in 1962. He was elected Governor of California in 1966 and served two terms. As Governor of California he sought to impose tax cuts of 10 per cent across the board, found that budgets could be cut only slowly, and went on to preside over expanding state budgets and some of largest tax increases in California history. He also supported increased spending on higher education, and worked to implement a return to the use of the death penalty. He was defeated in runs for the Republican presidential SB 944 Page 3 nomination in 1968 and 1976, but won both the nomination and presidency in 1980. His presidential administration adopted policies based on supply-side economics, including large tax cuts, reductions in funding for social services and cuts to education, in an effort to promote rapid economic growth and reduce the federal deficit. These proposals, when implemented, succeeded in lowering inflation but led to a dramatic increase in the national debt by 1986; this effect is estimated by economists to have been somewhere between a doubling and a quadrupling of the national debt. He also began a large peacetime military buildup, including the proposed construction of the Strategic Defense Initiative; concluded a treaty with the Soviet Union to restrict intermediate-range nuclear weapons; conducted a proxy war against Nicaragua by supporting the counterrevolutionary Contras; and invaded the Caribbean island nation of Grenada in order to prevent Soviet influence. His tough stance toward the Soviet Union and communism, along with his increasing expenditures on the military, is generally credited with contributing to the demise of Soviet communism and to the end of the Cold War. In 1994, the former president disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease earlier in the year; he died ten years later at the age of 93. Many public polls rank Reagan high among former U.S. presidents in terms of approval rating, and most surveys of presidential scholars rank him in the first or second quartile in terms of presidential success. This bill requires the Governor to proclaim February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day, and designates February 6 as a day having special significance. This bill does not result in additional average daily attendance or funding for a school district, nor does it result in an additional holiday or day of school closure. The designation of a day of special significance simply triggers statutory encouragement for public schools to observe the day and to conduct commemorative exercises suitable to the day, as specified in law; however, the decision as to whether to observe any day of special significance or to conduct suitable commemorative exercises is left to the local district. If this day is observed, then suitable exercises would recognize Ronald Reagan's life and accomplishments, as well as the contributions that he made to this state and country. SB 944 Page 4 Analysis Prepared by : Gerald Shelton / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0004965