BILL NUMBER: SCR 159	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 11, 2016
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 22, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Morrell
   (Coauthors: Senators Allen, Hueso, Nguyen, Nielsen, and Roth)


                        AUGUST 1, 2016

   Relative to Purple Heart Day.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 159, Morrell. Purple Heart Day.
   This measure would declare August 7, 2016, as Purple Heart Day in
California.



   WHEREAS, The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the Armed
Forces who are killed or wounded in action; and
   WHEREAS, Created in 1932, the Purple Heart has a long storied past
that dates back to the founding fathers of the United States. The
award takes its design from the Badge of Military Merit, which was
commissioned by General George Washington on August 7, 1782. This
award consisted of a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk having a
narrow edge of silver stitched with the word Merit across the face
and is considered to be the first official military combat badge of
the Armed Forces. The official successor decoration of the Badge of
Military Merit is the Purple Heart; and
   WHEREAS, Originally, the award was only open to the United States
Army and Air Force service members and could not be awarded
posthumously. President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed that in 1942
with an executive order that opened the award to members of the
United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Later that year,
in a separate order, the award was made available for posthumous
award to any member of the military; and
   WHEREAS, To date, approximately two million Purple Heart Medals
have been awarded. The award can be awarded retroactively to a
soldier as far back as 1917, allowing veterans from World War I to be
eligible; and
   WHEREAS, Originally, the Purple Heart was awarded for meritorious
service, and injury was a consideration for merit. In 1942, the
creation of the Legion of Merit award duplicated the merit
requirement, which became unnecessary for the Purple Heart; and
   WHEREAS, From 1942 to 1997, civilians serving in, or affiliated
with, the Armed Forces were eligible to receive the Purple Heart.
Some of the earliest civilians to receive this honor were
firefighters wounded or killed while fighting fires caused by the
attack on Pearl Harbor; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature encourages all Californians
to honor those who have served in the Armed Forces, especially those
who have been wounded and received the Purple Heart, and declares
August 7, 2016, as Purple Heart Day in California; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.