Senate Concurrent ResolutionNo. 52


Introduced by Senators Huff and Nguyen

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Chang and Kim)

April 30, 2015


Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 52—Relative to Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 52, as introduced, Huff. Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.

This measure would recognize May 2015 as Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, One of the earliest records of Asian and Pacific
2Islander Americans in North America dates back to 1763 in what
3is now known as New Orleans, Louisiana, where Filipino sailors
4who worked the Manila-Acapulco trade route settled; and

5WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have made
6indelible contributions to the history of California and the United
7States that include, but are not limited to, building the
8Transcontinental Railroad, serving honorably in the Armed Forces,
9fighting for the United States in foreign wars, and advocating for
10civil rights; and

11WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have endured
12hardships, including unjust working conditions, prejudice, and
13discrimination, in some of the darkest times in our state’s and
14nation’s history, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, naturalized
15citizenship ineligibility, the Alien Land Law, antimiscegenation
16laws, and Japanese internment; and

P2    1WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans continue to
2cultivate, advance, and lead in the fields of art, fashion, business,
3technology, education, science, government, law, humanities,
4medicine, sports, and entertainment; and

5WHEREAS, California is home to over 5.8 million Asian and
6Pacific Islander Americans, more than any other state, and Asian
7and Pacific Islander Americans are one of the fastest growing
8ethnic populations in the state and nation; and

9WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans constitute
1016 percent of California’s population and represent diverse
11ancestries that include, but are not limited to, Asian Indian,
12Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Burmese, Cambodian, Chamorro,
13Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Iu-Mien, Iwo
14Jiman, Guamanian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian,
15Maldivian, Mongolian, Nepalese, Native Hawaiian, Vietnamese,
16Okinawan, Pakistani, Samoan, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai,
17Tongan, and other ancestries that may be traced to various Pacific
18Islands; and

19WHEREAS, California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American
20entrepreneurs are innovative and lead many successful businesses
21to the pinnacle of their respective industries nationally and globally,
22and own over 500,000 businesses in California; and

23WHEREAS, The California Commission on Asian and Pacific
24Islander American Affairs was established in 2004 and is charged
25with advising the Governor, the Legislature, and state agencies on
26issues relating to the social and economic development, rights,
27and interests of California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American
28communities; and

29WHEREAS, The Legislature has 12 Asian and Pacific Islander
30Assembly Members and Senators who represent and advocate for
31the interests of the diverse Asian and Pacific Islander American
32communities; and

33WHEREAS, The federal government officially designates May
34as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month; and

35WHEREAS, Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander American
36Heritage Month provides Californians with an opportunity to
37recognize the achievements, contributions, and history of Asian
38and Pacific Islander Americans; now, therefore, be it

39Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
40thereof concurring,
That the Legislature commends Asian and
P3    1Pacific Islander Americans for their notable accomplishments and
2contributions to California, and recognizes May 2015 as Asian
3and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month; and be it further

4Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
5this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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