BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 30
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Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
30 (Alejo) - As Amended April 7, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY: This bill establishes the California Racial Mascots Act
and prohibits, beginning January 1, 2017, all public schools
from using the term "Redskins" for school or athletic team
names, mascots, or nicknames. Specifically, this bill:
AB 30
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1)Authorizes a public school to continue to use uniforms or
other materials bearing the term "Redskins" as a school or
athletic team name, mascot, or nickname that were purchased
before January 1, 2017, if the school: a) selects a new school
or athletic team name, mascot, or nickname and b) refrains
from purchasing or acquiring items that bear the name Redskin,
including yearbooks, newspapers, mascot, programs and marquees
or signs.
2)Allows the school that is using uniforms that bear the term
"Redskin", prior to January 1, 2019, to purchase or acquire a
number of uniforms equal up to 20% of the total number of
uniforms used by a team or band at the school during the
2016-17 school year for the purpose of replacing damaged or
lost uniforms.
3)Specifies that the provisions of this bill may not be waived
by the State Board of Education (SBE).
FISCAL EFFECT:
Unknown General Fund (Proposition 98) mandated costs, likely
less than $50,000, for schools to phase out uniforms and replace
signs and other items that bear the term "Redskin".
There are currently four high schools in California that use
"Redskins" as a team name and mascot. They include Gustine High
School (Merced County), Calaveras High School (Calaveras
County), Chowchilla Union High School (Madera County), and
Tulare Union High School (Tulare County).
COMMENTS:
AB 30
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1)Purpose. According to the author, once used to describe
Native Americans scalps sold for a bounty, current use of the
"R-word" is widely recognized as a racial slur that promotes
discrimination against Native Americans. Throughout the
country, hundreds of demeaning "Indian" mascots have already
been replaced. In 1972, Stanford switched from the Indians to
the Cardinals. Other universities and hundreds of high
schools have followed suit since then. This past summer, the
movement gained momentum when the Yocha DeHe Tribe of Northern
California aired a commercial denouncing the Washington mascot
during the NBA Finals. The commercial has refocused attention
on the issue and helped millions of Americans understand the
racial overtones of the team's moniker.
2)Background. Colusa High School (Colusa County) changed its
team name from "Redskins" to "Redhawks" about four years ago.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board passed a
resolution in 1997 finding that the "use of American Indian
mascot names and images in schools evokes negative images that
become deeply imbedded in the minds of students, depicting
American Indians in inaccurate, stereotypic, and often violent
manners." The resolution resolved that American Indian mascots
and names such as Apaches, Mohicans, Warriors, and Braves
would no longer be used. In 1998, a federal judge upheld the
LAUSD resolution. According to the LAUSD, all American Indian
names have been eliminated.
3)Prior legislation. AB 13 (Goldberg) of 2005 and AB 858
(Goldberg) of 2004 were substantially similar to this bill and
both were vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. The Governor's
veto message of AB 858 stated:
"Existing statute already affords local school boards
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general control over all aspects of their interscholastic
athletic policies, programs, and activities. Decisions
regarding athletic team's names, nicknames or mascots
should be retained at the local level."
4)Opposition. The City of Gustine opposes this bill and states
that the "community of Gustine and the leaders who are elected
by the voting public to administer the institutions that serve
the community are more than capable of considering the issue
and making decisions that are in the best interests of the
community." Members of the City Council further state that
the community and the school district have shown respect for
Native Americans and believe that the most appropriate way to
address this issue is through the local process.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081