BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                      



           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                   AB 199|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                         |
          |1020 N Street, Suite 524          |                         |
          |(916) 651-1520         Fax: (916) |                         |
          |327-4478                          |                         |
           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
           
                                         
                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 199
          Author:   Ma (D)
          Amended:  6/28/11 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  9-0, 6/22/11
          AYES:  Lowenthal, Alquist, Blakeslee, Hancock, Huff, Liu, 
            Price, Simitian, Vargas
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Runner, Vacancy
          
          ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  72-0, 4/11/11 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Role of Filipinos in World War II

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill encourages social science instruction 
          in grades 7-12 to include the role of Filipinos in World 
          War II.

           ANALYSIS  :    The History-Social Science Framework includes 
          strands on World War II and the role of various countries 
          and people.  The current framework does not specifically 
          include reference to the role of Filipinos in World War II.

          Existing law:

          1. Authorizes social science instruction in grades 7-12 to 
             include instruction on World War II and the American 
             role in that war.  The Legislature encourages this 
                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                AB 199
                                                                Page 
          2

             instruction to include a component drawn from personal 
             testimony, especially in the form of oral or video 
             history.  The oral histories must exemplify personal 
             sacrifice and courage, contain views and comments of 
             their subjects and solicit specific comments from their 
             subjects.  

          2. Encourages social science instruction in grades 7-12 to 
             include instruction on the Vietnam War including the 
             "Secret War" in Laos and the role of Southeast Asians in 
             that war.  The Legislature also encourages this 
             instruction to include a component drawn from personal 
             testimony and the oral histories must meet nearly 
             identical specifications as listed above. 

          This bill encourages social science instruction in grades 
          7-12 to include the role of Filipinos in World War II.  
          Specifically, this bill:

          1. Encourages social science instruction for grades 7-12 to 
             include instruction on World War II and the role of 
             Filipinos in that war, consisting of an accurate history 
             of the contributions of the Filipino American veterans 
             who fought courageously in the United States Army.

          2. Encourages instruction about the role of Filipinos in 
             World War II to include a component drawn from personal 
             testimony, especially in the form of oral or video 
             histories of Filipinos who were involved in World War II 
             and those men and women who contributed to the war 
             effort on the homefront.  This bill encourages the oral 
             histories to do all of the following:

             A.    Exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of 
                the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called 
                upon to participate and to provide intelligence for 
                the United States.

             B.    Contain the views and comments of their subjects 
                regarding the reasons for their participation in the 
                war.

             C.    Solicit comments from their subjects regarding the 
                aftermath of the war and the immigration of Filipinos 

                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                AB 199
                                                                Page 
          3

                to the United States.

           Comments
           
           Curricular frameworks  .  The state's process for the review 
          and update of curricular frameworks has been halted since 
          July 2009, and is prohibited from resuming until the 
          2015-16 school year.  Instruction that the state wishes to 
          be provided statewide is typically included in the 
          framework.  The Curriculum Commission was in the process of 
          updating the History-Social Science framework when the 
          framework and instructional material adoption process was 
          halted pursuant to legislation.  Therefore, this bill could 
          be implemented by school districts that choose to do so but 
          would not be included in the framework until at least the 
          2015-16 school year.

          Prior Legislation
           
          AB 717 (Cook), 2009-10 Session, was identical to this bill 
          in an early version.  AB 717 was amended to address a 
          different topic.

          AB 3084 (Cook), 2007-08 Session, was also identical to this 
          bill.  Passed the Senate with a vote of 37-1 on August 20, 
          2008.  The bill was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger whose 
          veto message read, in part:  

            "While I respect the author's intent to recognize the 
            role of Filipinos who fought courageously in World War 
            II, I have consistently vetoed legislation that has 
            attempted to include specific details or events into 
            areas of instruction.  The State Board of Education 
            adopted content standards are developed by a diverse 
            group of experts and are intentionally broad in order to 
            allow coverage of various events, developments, and 
            issues.  I continue to believe that the State should 
            establish rigorous academic standards and frameworks, but 
            refrain from being overly prescriptive in specific school 
            curriculum."

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


                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                AB 199
                                                                Page 
          4

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  6/27/11)

          American Federation of State, County and Municipal 
          Employees, AFL-CIO
          AMVETS - Department of California
          California Language Teachers Association
          California State Commanders Veterans Council
          Consulate General of the Philippines
          KAYA - Filipino Americans for Progress


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  72-0, 4/11/11
          AYES:  Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, 
            Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, 
            Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, 
            Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, 
            Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Garrick, 
            Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, 
            Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, 
            Jones, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, 
            Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, 
            Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Silva, 
            Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, 
            Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Donnelly, Fletcher, Gorell, Halderman, 
            Knight, Mansoor, Norby, Vacancy


          CPM:kc  6/28/11   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

                                ****  END  ****












                                                           CONTINUED