Amended in Assembly March 3, 2016

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 99

Introduced by Senator McGuire

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Dodd, Eggman, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O’Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood)

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January 26, 2016

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 99—Relative to the 28th Annual State Scientist Day.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 99, as amended, McGuire. 28th Annual State Scientist Day.

This measure would declare May 18, 2016, as the 28th Annual State Scientist Day, as a tribute to the dedication and professionalism of the state scientists who work on behalf of all the residents of California.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, The state employs nearly 3,000 professional
scientists in over 30 state departments working in more than 81
scientific classifications; and

WHEREAS, State scientists hold graduate degrees in virtually
every scientific discipline, including biology, nematology, virology,
seismology, epidemiology, toxicology, and many others; and

WHEREAS, State scientists are represented by the California
Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS), which is dedicated
to professionalism, independence, and responsible advocacy; and

WHEREAS, The work of state scientists protects the public
from life-threatening diseases, safeguards our wildlife and abundant
natural resources, and protects our air and water from toxic waste
and pollution; and

WHEREAS, State scientists are required to make critical
decisions every day based on rigorous scientific factfinding, and
these decisions ultimately impact the lives and property of all
Californians; and

WHEREAS, State scientists perform important work in the areas
of infectious disease prevention, oil spill prevention and cleanup,
public health drinking water monitoring, the protection of
agricultural crops, brownfields mitigation, chemical and
radiological disaster response, and much more; and

WHEREAS, CAPS cosponsors the Sacramento Regional Science
and Engineering Fair, one of California’s 14 regional science and
engineering fairs, serving hundreds of middle and high schools in
10 California counties; and

WHEREAS, State scientists host an annual State Scientist Day
at the State Capitol to increase public awareness and recognition
of the significant contributions made by scientists working in state
government while entertaining and educating over 3,500
elementary school students with fun, hands-on science exhibits;
and

WHEREAS, State Scientist Day has sparked an interest in
science for thousands of California schoolchildren, legislators,
state employees, and members of the public, who attend the special
event; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That May 18, 2016, shall be recognized as the
28th Annual State Scientist Day, and that this day shall be a tribute
to the dedication and professionalism of the state scientists who
work on behalf of all the residents of California; and be it further

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