BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 501
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
501 (Levine)
As Amended August 1, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(January 27, |SENATE: | 38-0 |(August 15, |
| | |2016) | | |2016) |
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| | | | | | |
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(vote not relevant)
Original Committee Reference: W.,P., & W.
SUMMARY: Designates "denim" as the official state fabric.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of the bill,
and instead:
1)Designate "denim" as the official state fabric.
2)Make various findings and declarations regarding denim.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill would have required that
state-funded environmental research in the San Francisco
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Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Delta) be shareable
and made available to the Delta Science Program.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Designates the following as official state insignia:
a) State Flower - "Golden Poppy" (Added by Statutes of1903,
Chapter 69)
b) State Bird - "California Valley Quail" (Added by
Statutes of 1931, Chapter 777)
c) State Tree - "California Redwood" includes both the
coast redwood (Sequoia empervirens) and the Sierra big tree
(Sequoia gigantea) - (Added by Statutes of 1943, Chapter
134; Amended by Statutes of 1953, Chapter 1140)
d) State Theatre - "Pasadena Playhouse" (Added by Statutes
of 1937, Resolution Chapter 45)
e) State Fish - "California Golden Trout" (Added by
Statutes of 1947, Resolution Chapter 90)
f) State Song - "I Love You California" (Added by Statutes
of 1951, Resolution Chapter 87)
g) State Animal - "California Grizzly" (Added by Statutes
of 1953, Chapter 1140)
h) State Motto - "Eureka" (Added by Statutes of 1963,
Chapter 1237)
i) State Rock - "Serpentine" (Added by Statutes of 1965,
Chapter 89)
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j) State Mineral - "Native Gold" (Added by Statutes of
1965, Chapter 89)
aa) State Nickname - "Golden State" (Added by Statutes of
1968, Chapter 66)
bb) State Reptile - "Desert Tortoise" (Added by Statutes of
1972, Chapter 683)
cc) State Insect - "California Dogface Butterfly" (Added by
Statutes of 1972, Chapter 521)
dd) State Fossil - "Sabre-Tooth Cat" (Added by Statutes of
1973, Chapter 792)
ee) State Historical Society - "California Historical
Society" (Added by Statutes of 1979, Chapter 52)
ff) State Marine Mammal - "California Gray Whale" (Added by
Statutes of 1975, Chapter 328)
gg) State Gemstone - "Benitoite" (Added by Statutes of 1985,
Chapter 1365)
hh) State Folk Dance - "Square Dance" (Added by Statutes of
1988, Chapter 1645)
ii) State Dance - "West Coast Swing" (Added by Statutes of
1988, Chapter 1645)
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jj) State Prehistoric Artifact - "Chipped Stone Bear" (Added
by Statutes of 1991, Chapter 73)
aaa) State Marine Fish - "Garibaldi" (Added by Statutes of
1995, Chapter 948)
bbb) State Soil - "San Joaquin Soil" (Added by Statutes of
1997, Chapter 331)
ccc) State Fife and Drum Band - "California Consolidated Drum
Band" (Added by Statutes of 1997, Resolution Chapter 58)
ddd) State Tartan - "Based on the family tartan of the
revered John Muir" (blue and green with red, gold, and blue
seams) (Added by Statutes of 2001, Chapter 100)
eee) State Gold Rush Ghost Town - "Town of Bodie" (Added by
Statutes of 2002, Chapter 365)
fff) State Tall Ship - "Californian" (Added by Statutes of
2003, Chapter 113)
ggg) State Grass - "Nassella Pulchra" - commonly referred to
as "purple needlegrass" (Added by Statutes of 2004, Chapter
243)
hhh) State Silver Rush Ghost Town - "Calico" (Added by
Statutes of 2005, Chapter 90)
iii) Official Marine Reptile - "Pacific Leatherback Sea
Turtle" (Added by Statutes of 2012, Chapter 591)
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jjj) State Amphibian - "California Red-Legged Frog" (Added by
Statutes of 2014, Chapter 77)
aaaa)State Pet - "Shelter Pet" (Added by Statutes of 2015,
Resolution Chapter 184)
bbbb)State Lichen - "Lace Lichen" (Added by Statutes of 2015,
Chapter 113)
FISCAL EFFECT: None. This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by
legislative counsel.
COMMENTS:
Purpose of the bill: 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. This bill recognizes denim as the official state
fabric of California. 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.
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.
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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 jeans.
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, United States Presidents, music
artists, models, 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."
Prior/Related Legislation: AB 1528 (Committee on Water, Parks,
and Wildlife), Chapter 113, Statutes of 2015, among other
things, declared "Lace Lichen" (Ramalina menziesii) the official
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State Lichen.
ACR 56 (Linder), Resolution Chapter 184, Statutes of 2015,
declared a "shelter pet" as the official State Pet.
AB 2364 (V. Manuel Pérez), 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
"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.
AB 965 (Kehoe), Chapter 113, Statutes of 2003, established the
"Californian" as the official State Tall Ship.
AB 1757 (Leslie), Chapter 365, Statutes of 2002, designated
"Bodie" as the official State Gold Rush Ghost Town.
Analysis Prepared by:
Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531 FN:
0003780
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