BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | ACR 108| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: ACR 108 Author: Mathis (R), et al. Amended: 2/23/16 in Senate Vote: 21 ASSEMBLY FLOOR: Read and adopted, 1/19/16 SUBJECT: Women's Military History Week SOURCE: Author DIGEST: This resolution proclaims the week of March 14 to March 20, 2016, inclusive as Women's Military History Week in California and encourages Californians to recognize, among other things, the contributions of women to our military and our freedom and the historic lifting of the ban on women in combat on January 24, 2013. Senate Floor Amendments of 2/23/16 make technical, non-substantive changes and add coauthors. ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings: 1)January 24, 2016, marks the third anniversary of the lifting of the ban on women in combat, which overturns a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricted women from artillery, armor, and infantry, among other combat roles, even though in reality women have frequently found themselves in combat to Iraq and Afghanistan. 2)Former United State Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ACR 108 Page 2 initiated the lifting of the ban on women in combat in 2013 and on December 3, 2015, current United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter directed the full integration of women into all military branches. Since the lifting of the ban, three women have already made history by being the first to graduate from the United States Army Ranger School, the Army's premier combat leadership course. 3)Approximately 300,000 women in uniform have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and these female members have earned more than 10,000 combat action badges and Bronze Stars, respectively, and at least 12 Bronze Stars with Valor. 4)As a country based on freedom and opportunity, regardless of creed, race, gender, or sexual orientation, we must demonstrate the same opportunity in our armed forces, while maintaining the same standard of excellence our military has set. Opening up combat roles to women will add to the military excellence, not subtract from it. This resolution proclaims the week of March 14 to March 20, 2016, inclusive as Women's Military History Week in California and encourages Californians to recognize, among other things, the contributions of women to our military and our freedom and the historic lifting of the ban on women in combat on January 24, 2013. FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.:NoLocal: No SUPPORT: (Verified1/27/16) American Legion, Department of California AMVETS, Department of California California Association of County Veterans Service Officers California State Commanders Veterans Council Military Officers Association of America, California Council of Chapters Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California ACR 108 Page 3 Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council OPPOSITION: (Verified1/27/16) None received Prepared by: Jonas Austin / SFA / (916) 651-1520 2/24/16 15:19:24 **** END ****