BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    SCR 159


                                                                    Page  1


          Date of Hearing:   August 18, 2016


                             ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES


                              Richard S. Gordon, Chair


          SCR  
                      159 (Morrell) - As Introduced August 1, 2016


          SENATE VOTE:  36-0


          SUBJECT:  Purple Heart Day


          SUMMARY:  Declares August 7, 2016, as Purple Heart Day in  
          California.  Specifically, this resolution makes the following  
          legislative findings:


          1)The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who  
            are killed or wounded in action.



          2)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.











                                                                    SCR 159


                                                                    Page  2


          3)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.



          4)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.
          FISCAL EFFECT:  None


          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:


          Support


          American G.I. Forum of California
          American Legion, Department of California
          AMVETS, Department of California
          California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
          California State Commanders Veterans Council
          Military Officers Association of America, California Council of  
          Chapters
          Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California
          Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council


          Opposition
          None on file


          Analysis Prepared by:Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800
          










                                                                    SCR 159


                                                                    Page  3