BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó






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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                        AB 501|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                              |
          |(916) 651-1520    Fax: (916)      |                              |
          |327-4478                          |                              |
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                                   THIRD READING 


          Bill No:  AB 501
          Author:   Levine (D), et al.
          Amended:  6/21/16 in Senate
          Vote:     21 

           SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE:  13-0, 6/28/16
           AYES:  Hall, Berryhill, Bates, Block, Gaines, Galgiani, Glazer,  
            Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Lara, McGuire, Vidak

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR:  Not relevant

           SUBJECT:   State fabric


          SOURCE:    Author
          
          DIGEST:    This bill designates "denim" as the official state  
          fabric.

          ANALYSIS:  Existing law designates the following as official  
          state insignia:
          
           State Flower - "Golden Poppy" (Added by Chapter 69, Statutes  
            of 1903)
           State Bird - "California Valley Quail" (Added by Chapter 777,  
            Statutes of 1931)
           State Tree - "California Redwood" includes both the coast  
            redwood (Sequoia empervirens) and the Sierra big tree (Sequoia  
            gigantea) - (Added by Chapter 134, Statutes of 1943; Amended  
            by Chapter 1140, Statutes of 1953) 
           State Theatre - "Pasadena Playhouse" (Added by Resolution  
            Chapter 45, Statutes of 1937)
           State Fish - "California Golden Trout" (Added Resolution  








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            Chapter 90, Statutes of 1947)
           State Song - "I Love You California" (Added by Resolution  
            Chapter 87, Statutes of 1951)
           State Animal - "California Grizzly" (Added by Chapter 1140,  
            Statutes of 1953)
           State Motto - "Eureka" (Added by Chapter 1237, Statutes of  
            1963)
           State Rock - "Serpentine" (Added by Chapter 89, Statutes of   
            1965)
           State Mineral - "Native Gold" (Added by Chapter 89, Statutes  
            of 1965)
           State Nickname - "Golden State" (Added by Chapter 66, Statutes  
            of 1965)
           State Reptile - "Desert Tortoise" (Added by Chapter 683,  
            Statutes of 1972)
           State Insect - "California Dogface Butterfly" (Added by  
            Chapter 521, Statutes of 1972)
           State Fossil - "Sabre-Tooth Cat" (Added by Chapter 792,  
            Statutes of 1973)
           State Historical Society - "California Historical Society"  
            (Added by Chapter 52, Statutes of 1979) 
           State Marine Mammal - "California Gray Whale" (Added by  
            Chapter 328, Statutes of 1975)
           State Gemstone - "Benitoite" (Added by Chapter 1365, Statutes  
            of 1985)
           State Folk Dance - "Square Dance" (Added by Chapter 1645,  
            Statutes of 1988)
           State Dance - "West Coast Swing" (Added by Chapter 1645,  
            Statutes of 1988)
           State Prehistoric Artifact - "Chipped Stone Bear" (Added by  
            Chapter 73, Statutes of 1991)
           State Marine Fish - "Garibaldi" (Added by Chapter 948,  
            Statutes of 1995)
           State Soil - "San Joaquin Soil" (Added by Chapter 331,  
            Statutes of 1997)
           State Fife and Drum Band - "California Consolidated Drum Band"  
            (Added by Chapter 58, Statutes of 1997) 
           State Tartan - "Based on the family tartan of the revered John  
            Muir" (blue and green with red, gold, and blue seams) (Added  
            by Chapter 100, Statutes of 2001)   
           State Gold Rush Ghost Town - "Town of Bodie" (Added by Chapter  
            365, Statutes of 2002)
           State Tall Ship - "Californian" (Added by Chapter 113,  
            Statutes of 2003)







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           State Grass - "Nassella Pulchra" - commonly referred to as  
            "purple needlegrass" (Added by Chapter 243, Statutes of 2004)
           State Silver Rush Ghost Town - "Calico" (Added by Chapter 90,  
            Statutes of 2005)
           Official Marine Reptile - "Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle"  
            (Added by Chapter 591, Statutes of 2012)
           State Amphibian - "California Red-Legged Frog" (Added by  
            Chapter 77, Statutes of 2014) 
           State Pet - "Shelter Pet" (Added by Resolution Chapter 184,  
            Statutes of 2015)
           State Lichen - "Lace Lichen" (Added by Chapter 113, Statutes  
            of 2015)   

          This bill designates denim as the official state fabric.
          
          Background

          Summary of Findings. Denim's history is interwoven with  
          California's history from the 1850s through today.  Since the  
          17th century through the present day, denim has been used to  
          make upholstery, tents, blankets, wagon covers, and pants known  
          as jeans.  With the news of the Gold Rush, Bavarian business  
          owner Levi Strauss moved to San Francisco to open a branch of  
          his family's dry goods store.  In partnership with tailor Jacob  
          Davis, Levi Strauss eventually invented the first pair of denim  
          jeans in 1873. 

          Denim jeans were designed as practical working attire, but they  
          eventually became a symbol of not only California culture, but  
          also American culture.  Through the decades, gold miners,  
          cowboys, farm workers, rock stars, beatniks, hippies, and people  
          of all walks of life wore denim jeans.  The first Hollywood  
          silent films featured actors who wore jeans, especially in  
          westerns and war films.  As the film industry grew, famous  
          actors such as John Wayne, Bing Crosby, Marlon Brando, James  
          Dean, and Marilyn Monroe, were photographed and filmed wearing  
          denim. 

          Today, California is responsible for about 75% of the premium  
          denim jeans sold throughout the world.   The industry employs  
          more than 200,000 people in Southern California alone, making it  
          the largest fashion manufacturing hub in the United States.   
          Denim jeans represent an estimated $60 billion global market for  
          retailers.  Celebrities, U.S. Presidents, music artists, models,  







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          business people, government officials, legislators, and  
          Californians of all ages wear denim - in fact, denim can be  
          found in the wardrobes of 96% of American consumers.  

          Several denim companies are now looking into the future and  
          making sustainability a core principle of their business model.   
          California's denim industry has also worked to shrink its carbon  
          and water footprints.  

          According to a writer for American Fabrics magazine in 1969,  
          "Denim is one of the world's oldest fabrics, yet it remains  
          eternally young."

          Purpose of AB 501.  The author's office points out existing law  
          provides for several "official" state emblems that are well  
          known - the Great Seal of the State of California, the Bear Flag  
          and Golden Poppy.  Additionally, the existing list of state  
          insignia goes further and includes among other things, the state  
          fish, the state insect, the state reptile, the state tartan, the  
          state grass, the state soil, the state folkdance, and the state  
          marine mammal.   The author's office contends that denim  
          represents more than just a fabric - it represents California's  
          diversity, culture, and economic and technological development  
          since the Gold Rush.  

          Related /Prior Legislation
          
          AB 1528 (Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, Chapter 113,  
          Statutes of 2015), among other things, declared "Lace Lichen"  
          (Ramalina menziesii) the official State Lichen.

          ACR 56 (Linder, Resolution Chapter184, Statutes of 2015)  
          declared a "shelter pet" as the official State Pet. 

          AB 2364 (V. Manuel Perez, Chapter 77, Statutes of 2014)  
          designated the "California Red-Legged Frog" (Rana draytonii) as  
          the official State Amphibian.

          AB 1776 (Fong, Chapter 591, Statutes of 2012) designated the  
          Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle as the official marine reptile of  
          the State of California and established October 15 as Pacific  
          Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day.  

          SB 906 (Ashburn, Chapter 90, Statutes of 2005) designated  







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          "Calico" in San Bernardino County as the official State Silver  
          Rush Ghost Town.

          SB 1226 (Machado, Chapter 243, Statutes of 2004) designated  
          "purple needlegrass," or Nassella Pulchra, as the official State  
          Grass.

          FISCAL EFFECT:                 Appropriation:  No    Fiscal  
          Com.:             No           Local:          No


          SUPPORT:  (Verified 6/28/16)

          California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations
          Gap Inc.

          OPPOSITION:  (Verified 6/28/16)

          None received

          Prepared by:Arthur Terzakis / G.O. / (916) 651-1530
          7/29/16 12:18:24


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