California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 17


Introduced by Assembly Member Chang

February 2, 2015


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 17—Relative to Women and Girls in STEM Week.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 17, as introduced, Chang. Women and Girls in STEM Week.

This measure would designate April 5 to April 11, inclusive, 2015, as Women and Girls in STEM Week, would encourage all citizens and community organizations to support the observance of California Women and Girls in STEM Week by encouraging and celebrating women in the STEM fields.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, Science, Technology, Engineering, and
2Mathematics (STEM) are critical fields for the success of
3California’s economy; and

4WHEREAS, Many of the fastest growing occupations in the
5United States require some form of expertise in the areas of STEM;
6and

7WHEREAS, STEM careers represent some of the highest-paying
8positions in any field, thereby providing desirable career
9opportunities and real pathways out of poverty; and

10WHEREAS, Preparing students for the STEM workforce is
11essential to fulfill the demands of our 21st century,
12innovation-focused economy; and

P2    1WHEREAS, A significant gender gap exists in the participation
2of STEM disciplines and workforce; and

3WHEREAS, Women earn nearly 60 percent of bachelor’s
4degrees, but are underrepresented in STEM-related college degrees,
5especially in the computer sciences and engineering fields; and

6WHEREAS, According to the Census Bureau, while women
7make up nearly one-half of the working population, they only
8represent 26 percent of the STEM workforce; and

9WHEREAS, Women represented 34 percent of computer
10occupations in 1990, but that number declined to 27 percent by
112011; and

12WHEREAS, Women in STEM professions earn one-third more
13than women in non-STEM-related occupations; and

14WHEREAS, In California the gender disparities among STEM
15fields are similar if not more pronounced. Only 15 percent of
16engineering graduates in California are women and only 15 percent
17of engineers in the workforce are women; and

18WHEREAS, Despite underrepresentation in the STEM fields,
19there are many California female leaders who represent the STEM
20community and serve as role models for young girls preparing for
21STEM careers; and

22WHEREAS, Today’s women leaders in STEM stand on the
23shoulders of innovators that came before them, such as Grace
24Murray Hopper, a pioneer in her field who is credited for inventing
25the first computer language compiler; now, therefore, be it

26Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
27thereof concurring,
That the Legislature encourages all citizens
28and community organizations to support the observance of
29California Women and Girls in STEM Week by encouraging and
30celebrating women in the STEM fields; and be it further

31Resolved, That the Legislature declares April 5 to April 11,
32inclusive, 2015, as Women and Girls in STEM Week; and be it
33further

34Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
35of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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