AB 398, as amended, Campos. California Embassy.
Existing law provides for the establishment of various commissions and offices that promote the interests of this state, including the California Travel and Tourism Commission and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
This bill wouldbegin delete authorize the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to accept submissions of any plan of any organization that is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a California Embassy in the District of Columbia within a
one-mile radius of the United States Capitol building. This bill would require the plan to contain specified information. The bill would authorize GO-Biz to approve the plan of any organization that they determine will establish, operate, and maintain a California Embassy that meets specified criteria. The bill would require any organization whose plan is approved by GO-Biz to submit a report to
GO-Biz every 2 years, beginning on the date 2 years after the plan is approved, on the status of the California Embassy and how those specified criteria are being met.end deletebegin insert allow an organization to identify or represent itself as the official sponsor of the California Embassy for the State of California if specified conditions are met, including that the organization is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, the organization is formed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a California Embassy in the District of Columbia within a 2-mile radius of the United States Capitol building, and that the mission statement of the organization includes specified provisions.end insert
Vote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: begin deleteyes end deletebegin insertnoend insert.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Division 3.2 (commencing with Section 600) is
2added to Title 1 of the Government Code, to read:
3
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
7(a) California is the most populousbegin delete state with the largest begin insert state, with over 38 million people.end insert
8economy in the nation.end delete
9(b) California has great cultural diversity in its population.
end insert10(b)
end delete
11begin insert(c)end insert California has the eighth largest economy in the world, with
12overbegin delete $2end deletebegin insert $2.2end insert trillion in gross domestic product.
13(c) California has great diversity in its people and its cultures.
end delete
14(d) California is the most populous state, with over 38 million
15people.
16(d) California accounts for 13 percent of the nation’s total
17output.
18(e) Therefore, California should be represented in our nation’s
19capital in the establishment of a California Embassy so that the
20begin insert criticalend insert role that California plays in our nation is highlighted.
(a) The Governor's Office of Business and Economic
22Development (GO-Biz) may accept submissions of any plan of
23any organization that is exempt from federal income tax as an
24organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
25Code and formed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining
P3 1a California Embassy in the District of Columbia within a one-mile
2radius of the United States Capitol building.
3(b) The plan shall contain the following information:
4(1) How the organization intends to establish the California
5Embassy.
6(2) How the organization intends to raise the funding necessary
7to establish the California Embassy.
8(3) How the organization intends to maintain and operate the
9California Embassy once it is established.
10(4) Any other relevant information GO-Biz deems necessary.
11(c) GO-Biz may approve the plan of any organization that it
12determines will establish, operate, and maintain a California
13Embassy that meets all of the following criteria:
14(1) Showcases California’s cultural diversity.
15(2) Showcases California’s higher education opportunities.
16(3) Showcases California’s recreational and tourism
17opportunities.
18(4) Provides resources to Californians in the District of
19Columbia.
20(5) Provides a place of refuge for Californians in the District of
21Columbia.
22(d) The plan shall be in the form, and submitted in the manner,
23as may be determined by GO-Biz.
Any organization whose plan is approved by GO-Biz
25pursuant to Section 601 shall submit a report to GO-Biz every two
26years, beginning on the date two years
after the plan is approved,
27on the status of the California Embassy and how the criteria in
28subdivision (c) of Section 601 are being met.
An organization may identify or represent itself as the
30official sponsor of the California Embassy for the State of
31California if all of the following conditions are met:
32(a) The organization is exempt from federal income tax as an
33organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
34Code.
35(b) The organization is formed for the purpose of establishing
36and maintaining a California Embassy in the District of Columbia
37within a two-mile radius of the United States Capitol building.
38(c) The mission statement of the organization includes the
39following, or similar, provisions:
P4 1(1) The California Embassy shall showcase California’s
2recreational and tourism opportunities.
3(2) The California Embassy shall showcase California’s
4businesses and business opportunities.
5(3) The California Embassy shall provide Californians in the
6District of Columbia with the resources they may need.
7(4) The California Embassy shall serve as a centralized meeting
8place for different California constituencies to advocate for
9California’s best interests.
10(d) The organization submits a report to the offices of the
11Speaker of the Assembly and the President pro Tempore of the
12Senate every two years, beginning on the date two years after it
13is formed, on the status of the California Embassy and how the
14mission statement in subdivision (c) is
being met.
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