BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  SB 1057|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 1057
          Author:   Denham (R), et al
          Amended:  5/10/10
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE  :  4-0, 4/13/10
          AYES:  Denham, Correa, Negrete McLeod, Cedillo
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Wyland, Vacancy, Vacancy

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8


           SUBJECT  :    State holidays:  Veterans Day:  state office  
          closure

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires that public offices of the  
          state and state institutions including, but not limited to,  
          all state agencies and the Legislature, be closed on  
          November 11 for Veterans Day, except as specified.  This  
          bill also states the Legislature's intent that the  
          University of California also be closed on November 11,  
          Veterans Day.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law recognizes various holidays,  
          including November 11, known as Veterans Day.  Existing law  
          requires that public offices of the state and state  
          institutions, except for the University of California, be  
          closed on Veterans Day.

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          Under existing law, state holidays are specified in Section  
          6700 of the Government Code as follows:

           1. Every Sunday.
           2. January 1.
           3. The Third Monday in January, known as "Dr. Martin  
             Luther King, Jr. Day."
           4. February 12, known as "Lincoln Day."
           5. The third Monday in February.
           6. March 31, known as "Cesar Chavez Day."
           7. The last Monday in May.
           8. July 4.
           9. The first Monday in September.
           10.September 9, known as "Admission Day."
           11.The second Monday in October, known as "Columbus Day."
           12.November 11, known as "Veterans Day."
           13.December 25.
           14.Good Friday from 12 noon until 3 p.m.
           15.Every day appointed by the President or Governor for a  
             public fast, thanksgiving, or holiday. 

          Current law also states that if the provisions regarding  
          state holidays are in conflict with provisions of a  
          memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Chapter 12  
          (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1 of  
          the Government Code, the memorandum of understand shall be  
          controlling without further legislative action.

          The Senate Rules Committee, among other powers and duties,  
          orchestrates and oversees all functions of the Senate,  
          administrative or otherwise, including state holidays  
          observed by the Senate.  The Senate Rules Committee holiday  
          schedule in effect for 2010 indicates that Thursday,  
          November 11, 2010, Veterans Day, shall be observed by the  
          Senate.

          This bill requires that all state agencies and the  
          Legislature, be closed on November 11, for Veterans Day.   
          However, if November 11 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the  
          holiday will be observed on the previous Friday or  
          following Monday, respectively.

          This bill also states it is the intent of the Legislature  
          that the University of California also be closed on the  

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          Veterans Day holiday.  

           Background  

          Though the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28,  
          1919, November 11 remained in the public imagination as the  
          date that marked the end of the Great War.  In November  
          1918, United States President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed  
          November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.   
          The day's observation included parades and public  
          gatherings, as well as a brief pause in business activities  
          at 11 a.m.  

          On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the  
          "recurring anniversary of November 11, 1918, should be  
          commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises  
          designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual  
          understanding between nations."  By that time, 27 state  
          legislatures had made November 11 a legal holiday.  

          An act approved on May 13, 1938, made November 11 a legal  
          Federal holiday, "dedicated to the cause of world peace and  
          to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'"   
          In 1954, the 83rd United States Congress amended the 1938  
          act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the  
          word "Armistice" in favor of "Veterans."  President Dwight  
          D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954, and  
          from then on, November 11 became a day to honor American  
          veterans of all wars.

          The Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress in 1968,  
          which sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal  
          employees by celebrating four national holidays  
          (Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and  
          Columbus Day) on Mondays.  It was thought that these  
          extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and  
          cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and  
          commercial production.  The observation of Veterans Day was  
          set as the fourth Monday in October.  Many states  
          disapproved of this change and continued to observe the  
          holiday on its original date.  

          In 1975, after it became evident that the actual date of  
          Veterans Day carried historical and patriotic significance  

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          to many Americans, President Gerald R. Ford signed a new  
          law returning the observation of Veterans Day to November  
          11, starting in 1978.  If November 11 falls on a Saturday  
          or Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on  
          the previous Friday or following Monday, respectively.

          There are no United States national holidays because the  
          states retain the right to designate their own, and the  
          federal government can only designate holidays for federal  
          employees and for the District of Columbia.  In practice,  
          however, states almost always follow the federal lead.

           Comments  

          According to the author, "SB 1057 was inspired by a  
          letter-to-the-editor in the  Sacramento Bee  (11/16/09) from  
          Marian Forness of Rancho Cordova, whose late husband served  
          this country in the United States Air Force for 20 years.   
          She noted in her letter that the State Senate took Friday,  
          November 13, 2009 off instead of Veterans Day on Wednesday,  
          November 11, so it could have a three-day weekend."

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/28/10)

          American Legion, Department of California 
          AMVETS, Department of California
          California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
          Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council


          TSM:mw  5/28/10   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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