BILL NUMBER: SB 539	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 16, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 8, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 29, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 27, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 14, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 6, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Glazer
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Hall)
   (Coauthors: Senators Block, Hueso, Huff, Lara, Mendoza, and
Wieckowski)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Baker, Chu, Cooper, Gipson,
Gonzalez, Jones-Sawyer, Weber, and Williams)

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to amend the heading of Chapter 2.9 (commencing with
Section 8195) of Division 1 of Title 2 of, and to add Section 8197
to, the Government Code, relating to public property.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 539, as amended, Glazer. Public property: names: Confederate
States of America.
   (1) Existing law prohibits the sale or display of the Battle Flag
of the Confederacy, as specified, or its image, by the State of
California, subject to exceptions serving educational or historical
purposes.
   This bill would, on and after January 1, 2017, prohibit the use of
 a name associated with   an elected leader or
senior military officer of  the Confederate States of America to
name  schools, government buildings, parks, roads, and other
 state or local property.  The bill would define a
name associated with the Confederate States of America to include the
name of an elected leader or a senior military officer of the
Confederacy.  The bill would require a name associated with
the Confederate States of America used to name state or local
property prior to January 1, 2017, to be changed and any sign
associated with the name to be removed.  The bill would prohibit
its provisions from being construed to require renaming of a city,
county, or other political jurisdiction named after an elected leader
or senior military officer of the Confederate States of America, or
from requiring the renaming of property, as specified, that
incorporates the name of the city, county, or political subdivision
in which it is situated.  By increasing the duties of local
officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The
bill would also make a statement of legislative findings and a
conforming change.
   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The Confederate States of America's secessionist movement was
rooted in the defense of slavery.
   (b) Currently, certain ideological groups use the symbols of this
movement to demean and offend whole segments of our society while
sowing racial divisions.
   (c) The use of names of political leaders and senior military
officers of the Confederate States of America to name California
public schools, buildings, parks, roadways, and other state and local
property is antithetical to California's mission for racial
equality.
   (d) California is opposed to enshrining the names of those
associated with the Confederate States of America, the secessionist
movement, or their discriminatory ideals in our public schools,
buildings, parks, roadways, and other state and local property.
   (e) California celebrates individuals who represent aspirations
for social good, such as Frederick Douglass, one of America's great
historical figures.
   (f) Frederick Douglass was an African American social reformer,
abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from
slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining
note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing,
including his famous speech about what the 4th of July meant to
slaves.
   (g) Frederick Douglass became one of the most famous intellectuals
of his time, advising presidents and lecturing to thousands on a
range of causes, including women's rights and Irish home rule. Among
Douglass' writings are several autobiographies eloquently describing
his experiences in slavery and his life after the Civil War.
  SEC. 2.  The heading of Chapter 2.9 (commencing with Section 8195)
of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code is amended to read:
      CHAPTER 2.9.   THE FREDERICK DOUGLASS LIBERTY ACT


  SEC. 3.  Section 8197 is added to the Government Code, to read:
   8197.  (a) On and after January 1, 2017,  a name
associated with   an elected leader or senior military
officer of  the Confederate States of America shall not be used
to name state or local property. If  a name associated with
the Confederate States of America   such a name  is
used to name state or local public property prior to January 1,
2017, the name shall be changed and any sign associated with the name
shall be removed. 
   (b) For the purpose of this section, "name associated with the
Confederate States of America" includes the name of an elected leader
or a senior military officer of the Confederacy.  
   (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the
renaming of a city, county, or other political jurisdiction that was
named after an elected leader or senior military officer of the
Confederate States of America prior to January 1, 2016, nor shall
this section be construed to require the renaming of any school,
building, park, roadway, or other property that incorporates the name
of the city, county, or political jurisdiction in which it is
situated. 
  SEC. 4.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.