BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 501 Page 1 CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS AB 501 (Levine) As Amended August 1, 2016 Majority vote -------------------------------------------------------------------- |ASSEMBLY: | |(January 27, |SENATE: | 38-0 |(August 15, | | | |2016) | | |2016) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 AB 501 Page 2 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) AB 501 Page 3 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) AB 501 Page 4 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) AB 501 Page 5 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. AB 501 Page 6 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 AB 501 Page 7 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 AB 501 Page 8