BILL NUMBER: ACR 45 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 11, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Grove
MARCH 11, 2015
Relative to state government. Relative to
the Ukrainian Famine of 1932 -1933.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 45, as amended, Grove. State agency budgets:
legislative review: zero-based budgeting. Ukrainian
Famine of 1932 -1933.
This measure would remember and honor the millions of victims
of the man-made Ukrainian Famine of 1932 -1933, known as
"Holodomor," and their descendants who are living throughout
California. The measure would also designate November 26, 2016, as
Holodomor Remembrance Day.
This measure would state the intent of the Legislature to conduct
an in-depth review of the budgets of the 40 largest budgets of state
agencies and departments over a period 5 years using a zero-based
budgeting approach, as specified. The measure would also request that
the the first 8 state agencies and departments selected for review
provide specified information to the Assembly Committee on Budget and
the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review before June 30,
2016.
Fiscal committee: yes no .
WHEREAS, The Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933, known as "Holodomor,"
was a man-made famine that caused the deaths of at least five million
innocent men, women, and children in Ukraine, resulting in an
annihilation of an estimated 25 percent of the rural population of
that country, one of the most productive agricultural areas of the
Soviet Union; and
WHEREAS, This man-made famine also resulted in the deaths of an
estimated one to two million people in regions outside Ukraine,
mostly in the largely ethnic Ukrainian North Caucasus territory; and
WHEREAS, These millions of people were starved to death by forced
agricultural collectivization and grain seizures by the Soviet Union;
and
WHEREAS, Western observers and scholars who accurately reported on
the existence of the famine as it was occurring were subjected to
disparagement and criticism for their reporting; and
WHEREAS, The Soviet Union and many scholars in the West denied the
existence of the famine until the collapse of the Soviet Union in
1991 when Soviet Union archives became accessible, thereby making the
documentation of the premeditated nature of the famine and its harsh
enforcement possible; and
WHEREAS, The final report of the U.S. Commission on the Ukraine
Famine, established on December 13, 1985, concluded that the victims
were "starved to death in a man-made famine;" and
WHEREAS, Although the famine was one of the greatest losses of
human life in the 20th century, its occurrence remains insufficiently
known in the United States and throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, The official recognition of the famine by the government
of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine represents a significant
step in the reestablishment of Ukraine's national identity and the
advancement of efforts to establish a democratic and free Ukraine
that is fully integrated into the Western community of nations; and
WHEREAS, Whether Ukrainian immigrants were fleeing political
oppression or religious persecution to pursue better lives for
themselves and their families, the desire to live in peace and enjoy
liberty was so valued that it drew generations of Ukrainian
immigrants to the United States and California in an effort to
rebuild their lives; and
WHEREAS, California is now home to the third largest
Ukrainian-American population in the United States, and Ukrainians
living in California have enriched our state through their leadership
and contributions in business, agriculture, academia, government,
and the arts; and
WHEREAS, In August 2015, a memorial to the millions who perished
in the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933, known as "Holodomor," was
erected in the United States capital, and the dedication ceremony
took place on November 7, 2015; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the millions of victims of the man-made
Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933, known as "Holodomor," and their
descendants living throughout California should be solemnly
remembered and honored; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature designates November 26, 2016, as
Holodomor Remembrance Day in California and encourages individual
citizens, educators, businesses, groups, organizations, and public
institutions to observe Holodomor Remembrance Day with appropriate
activities designed to honor the victims and educate Californians
about this tragedy; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
WHEREAS, Article IV of the California Constitution provides that
it is the responsibility of the Legislature to oversee the operations
of the executive branch and its various agencies and departments;
and
WHEREAS, Article IV further provides that it is the responsibility
of the Legislature to develop a budget for the State of California;
and
WHEREAS, A zero-based budgeting approach is one in which agency
and department budgets are evaluated on program-level efficiencies,
instead of only marginal changes; and
WHEREAS, In recent years, the National Conference of State
Legislatures has reported that 17 states have used zero-based
budgeting in some form and several more have made serious efforts to
do so; and
WHEREAS, The National Conference of State Legislatures indicates
that states such as Idaho have successfully used zero-based budgeting
as a management tool as well as a budgetary tool; and
WHEREAS, The State of Washington, among others, successfully used
a variant of zero-based budgeting starting in 2002 to align
expenditures with desired outcomes and balanced the budget of the
State of Washington without tax increases; and
WHEREAS, The elected representatives of the Legislature have a
duty to guard taxpayer dollars against waste, fraud, and abuse; and
WHEREAS, The largest 40 state agency and department budgets
account for more than one-half of the total budget for the State of
California; and
WHEREAS, The largest 40 state agency and department budgets
include all entities expending more than $100 million in state funds;
now, therefore, be it
Resolved by The Assembly of The State of California, The Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature intends to conduct an
in-depth review, over a period of 5 years, of the 40 largest budgets
of state agencies and departments with state positions; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Legislature intends to use a zero-based
budgeting approach during this review; and be it further
Resolved, That the 40 largest budgets of state agencies and
departments with state positions will be identified by the
Legislature on or before June 30, 2015, based on amounts allocated to
these agencies in the 2014-15 budget; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature will choose the first eight
agencies and departments for review before the 2015 Interim Study
Recess; and be it further
Resolved, That those eight agencies and departments are requested,
before June 30, 2016, to provide to the Assembly Committee on Budget
and the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review a complete list
of logical "decision units" within an agency's budget, which are
programs, activities, or organizational entities. For each of these
units, the agencies and departments are requested to provide all of
the following:
(a) A proposed minimum level of funding for viability for the
2017-18 fiscal year.
(b) Current expenditures.
(c) Program goals that can be quantified, including any goals that
are required by citations of existing law.
(d) Progress toward those goals; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.