BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 7
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Date of Hearing: March 25, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Patrick O'Donnell, Chair
AB 7
(Bonta) - As Amended January 28, 2015
SUBJECT: Public schools: Larry Itliong Day
SUMMARY: This bill designates October 25th of each year as
Larry Itliong Day, and encourages public schools to recognize it
as a day of special significance. Specifically, this bill:
1)Makes finding and declarations relative to the life of Larry
Itliong and his contributions as a leader in the American farm
labor movement and in the Filipino American community.
2)Designates October 25th of each year as Larry Itliong Day, a
day of special significance, and requires the Governor to
annually proclaim October 25th of each year as Larry Itliong
Day.
3)Encourages all public schools and educational institutions to
observe this day and conduct exercises remembering the life
and contributions of Larry Itliong.
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EXISTING LAW:
1)Designates a number of days as days of special significance to
the public schools and educational institutions, and
encourages them to observe that day and to conduct suitable
commemorative exercises. Those recognizing individuals are
John Muir Day (April 21), Harvey Milk Day (May 22), Fred
Korematsu Day (January 30), Ronald Reagan Day (February 6),
and Ed Roberts Day (January 23).
2)Requires public schools to close on 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 of the United States for a public
fast, thanksgiving or holiday, and any other day designated as
a holiday by the governing board of the school district.
3)Requires, for some specified holidays for which schools are
required to close (Dr. Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln Day,
Washington Day), that schools conduct exercises in
commemoration.
4)Authorizes public schools to close on two other days if the
governing board, pursuant to a collective bargaining
agreement, agrees to close schools for that purpose. These
days are César Chávez (March 31) and Native American Day
(fourth Friday in September).
5)Requires public schools to remain open on specified days
(unless otherwise closed to mark a holiday by decision of the
governing board), and to celebrate the significance of those
days with appropriate commemorative exercises. These days are
the anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, the
birthdays of Luther Burbank (March 7) and Susan B. Anthony
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(February 15), and the death of Crispus Attucks (March 5).
6)Requires the State Board of Education to ensure that state
curriculum on César Chávez and the history of the farm labor
movement in the United States include information on the role
of immigrants, including Filipino Americans, in that movement.
FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS:
Larry Itliong. This bill recognizes Larry Itliong as a
prominent leader in the American farm labor movement. In 1965,
as a leader of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee of
the AFL-CIO, he organized a group of 1,500 Filipinos in an eight
day strike against Delano grape growers. Itliong asked César
Chávez and his followers to join the strike, and the two
leaders' organizations eventually combined, establishing the
United Farm Workers of America. Itliong later become the
President of the Filipino American Political Association, the
first national political Filipino American organization. He was
also instrumental in the founding of the Pablo Agbayani Village,
a retirement home built by volunteers for retired Filipino
Manongs.
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A 2012 New York Times profile<1> of Larry Itliong called him a
"forgotten hero" of the labor movement, and noted the
achievement of organizing two groups of workers (Filipino
American and Mexican American) who were "historically pitted
against one another to suppress wages or break strikes."
The author notes, "The accomplishments and contributions of
Larry Itliong should be properly memorialized within the history
and culture of the United States because he is a hero in the
socioeconomic and racial justice movement. Although his
accomplishments have been recognized in smaller ways, such as
being acknowledged in part in the renaming of a Union City
middle school, he deserves to be recognized on a statewide level
and remembered for his contributions to our state and nation's
history."
Technical amendments needed. Staff recommends several technical
amendments to correctly reference organizations and correct
drafting errors.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees,
AFL-CIO
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<1>
Brown, Patricia Leigh. (October 18, 2012). Forgotten Hero of
Labor Fight; His Son's Lonely Quest. New York Times. Retrieved
from
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/us/larry-itliong-forgotten-fili
pino-labor-leader.html
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
California College and University Police Chiefs Association
California History Center Foundation (De Anza College)
California Immigrant Policy Center
Filipino American Coalition for Environmental Solidarity
Filipino American National Historical Society, Santa Clara
Chapter
GK 1 World Foundation
Little Manila Foundation
Philippine National Day Association
Philippine Weekend, Inc.
Numerous individuals
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Opposition
None received
Analysis Prepared by:Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087