BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Isadore Hall, III
Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 646 Hearing Date: 7/14/2015
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|Author: |McCarty |
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|Version: |7/8/2015 Amended |
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|Urgency: |Yes |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Felipe Lopez |
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SUBJECT: State Archives: museum activities.
DIGEST: This bill removes the Secretary of State (SOS), the
Director of Parks and Recreation, and the State Archivist from
their honorary, nonvoting positions on the governing board of
the California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts
(California Museum) and, instead, would require the SOS and the
Director of Parks and Recreation to act as ex officio voting
members of the board.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Requires the SOS to administer the State Archives Building
Complex for the use, education and civic engagement by all
Californians.
2)Authorizes the SOS to enter into an agreement to operate a
museum in the State Archives Building Complex with the
California Museum for History, Women and the Arts, a nonprofit
public benefit corporation, or its successor.
3)Requires the SOS, the Director of Parks and Recreation, and
the State Archivist to act as honorary nonvoting members of
the governing board of the corporation.
This bill:
AB 646 (McCarty) Page 2 of ?
1)Removes the SOS, the Director of Parks and Recreation, and the
State Archivist from their honorary, nonvoting positions on
the governing board of the California Museum, instead, would
require the SOS and the Director of Parks and Recreation to
act as ex officio voting members of the board.
2)Includes an urgency clause.
Background
Correction to AB 1234 (McCarty). This bill corrects an issue in
law that was created with the passage of AB 1234 (McCarty) and
its signing on June 30, 2015. AB 1234 (McCarty) provided that
the SOS and the Director of Parks and Recreation, or their
respective designees, were honorary non-voting board members of
the foundation's governing board. AB 646 simply restores them
as voting members as was the case prior to the signing of AB
1234 (McCarty). The restoration is needed to correct a
misinterpretation of current law related to the ability of an ex
officio board member's ability to vote.
California Museum. The California Museum opened in June of 1998
through a unique partnership with the State of California as a
private non-profit institution focused on California History and
culture. Under the development of the Secretary of State's
office, the Museum was created to be the public showplace for
contents of the California State Archives and it's the home of
the California Hall of Fame.
Since its opening, nearly three million people have visited the
museum. The mission of the Museum is to engage, enlighten and
inspire visitors about California's rich history and its unique
influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art, and culture by
creating opportunities for learning about past decisions and
events, present circumstances and future possibilities.
Prior/Related Legislation
AB 1234 (McCarty, Chapter 33, Statutes of 2015) updated the
authority of the SOS to renew the agreement with the public
benefit corporation that operates the California Museum for
History, Women and the Arts, located in the SOS and State
Archives Building Complex.
AB 646 (McCarty) Page 3 of ?
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: Yes Local: No
SUPPORT:
None received
OPPOSITION:
None received