BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
ACR
37 (Gray)
As Introduced February 27, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
|----------------+------+--------------------+--------------------|
|Rules |11-0 |Gordon, Chang, | |
| | |Burke, Campos, | |
| | |Cooley, Dodd, | |
| | |Jones, Mayes, | |
| | |Rodriguez, Waldron, | |
| | |Wood | |
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SUMMARY: Designates November 2015 as California Sikh American
Awareness and Appreciation Month and would recognize and
acknowledge the significant contributions Californians of Sikh
heritage have made to the state. Specifically, this resolution
makes the following findings:
1)California and our nation are blessed and enriched by the
unparalleled diversity of our residents; and, the Sikhs, who
originated in Punjab, India, first entered California in 1899
legally through the Angel Island Immigration Station (Angel
Island) in San Francisco, California.
2)Sikh pioneers initially worked on railroad construction
projects, and in lumber mills, but by 1910, these pioneers
turned to farming in the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Imperial
valleys.
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3)In 1912, the first Sikh temple (Gurdwara) in the United States,
the Sikh Temple of Stockton, was founded by Professor Teja Singh
of the Pacific Coast Khalso Diwan Society and now there are more
than 100 Gurdwaras in the United States.
4)The Ghadar Party was organized and formed by Jawala Singh and
Wasakha Singh, who migrated to California through Angel Island
in 1908, to overthrow the British colonial rulers of the Indian
subcontinent; and the Ghadar Party sent 616 of its members to
India, of whom 86% for Sikhs.
5)Sikh history and culture is represented in the Asian Art Museum
in San Francisco, in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.,
in the Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County, and the
Museum at the Sikh Temple Stockton.
6)Sikh farmers contribute abundantly towards production of
peaches, raisins, pistachios, and okra. Sikhs have also excelled
in security services and transportation services, and as
doctors, attorneys, engineers, teachers, and other notable
capacities including small business owners.
7)The faithful service of the Sikh American community to this
state and country merits appreciation as an integral thread in
the fabric of American plurality.
FISCAL EFFECT: None
Analysis Prepared by:
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Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800 FN: 0000065