BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 717
Author: Cook (R) and Lieu (D), et al
Amended: 9/11/09 in Senate
Vote: 21
PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT
AB 264 VOTES:
SENATE FLOOR : 36-0, 7/16/09
AYES: Aanestad, Alquist, Ashburn, Calderon, Cedillo,
Cogdill, Corbett, Correa, Cox, Denham, DeSaulnier,
Ducheny, Dutton, Hancock, Harman, Hollingsworth, Huff,
Kehoe, Leno, Liu, Lowenthal, Maldonado, Negrete McLeod,
Pavley, Price, Romero, Runner, Simitian, Steinberg,
Strickland, Walters, Wiggins, Wolk, Wright, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Benoit, Florez, Oropeza, Padilla
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 79-0, 5/4/09 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Governor to annually
proclaim March 30 of each year as Welcome Home Vietnam
Veterans Day, and encourages schools to conduct exercises
on March 30 of each year to recognize the contributions of
those involved in the Vietnam conflict. (This bill is
similar to AB 264 (Cook) which was vetoed - See votes on AB
CONTINUED
AB 717
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264 above.)
Senate Floor Amendments of 9/11/09 revise the form not the
substance of this bill, as amended in the Senate on
September 10, 2009, by replacing an amended section of
current law with a point section.
1. Encourage public schools and educational institutions to
observe Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, as specified.
2. Specify the intent of the Legislature that activities
conducted pursuant to this act be integrated into the
regular program and within the amount otherwise budgeted
for educational programs.
ANALYSIS : Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim
various days as holidays and days of remembrance.
Existing law also designates certain days in each year as
having special significance for purposes of encouraging
schools to observe those days and conduct suitable
commemorative exercises.
Existing law also designates certain days in each year as
having special significance for purposes of encouraging
schools to observe those days and conduct suitable
commemorative exercises.
This bill:
1.Requires the Governor to annually proclaim March 30 of
each year as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day," and
encourages schools to conduct exercises on March 30 of
each year to recognize the contribution of those involved
in the Vietnam conflict.
2.Includes legislative findings which note, among other
things, the United States became involved in Vietnam
because policymakers in the United States believed that
if South Vietnam fell to a communist government,
communism would spread throughout the rest of southeast
Asia, more than 58,000 members of the United States Armed
forces lost their lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000
AB 717
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were wounded, in 2007 the United States Congress, by
separate Senate and House Resolutions, declared that a
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day should be established,
and the establishment of a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans
Day would be an appropriate way to honor those members of
the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam
during the Vietnam War.
Related Legislation
AB 264 (Cook), 2009-10 Session . Nearly identical to AB
717. Passed both houses of the Legislature and was vetoed
by the Governor. In his veto message, the Governor stated:
"Our state is facing significant challenges, including
the need for comprehensive changes in our policies on
water, energy, and corrections and the need to take
meaningful steps to stimulate the economy and rein in
the rising levels of unemployment. This bill does
nothing to address any of these issues. I look forward
to considering this measure when these other major
issues are addressed."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 9/11/09)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO
AMVETS, Department of California
California Department of Veterans Affairs
The American Legion, Department of California
The Armed Forces Retirees Association of California
The California Association of County Veterans Service
Officers
The National Guard Association of California
Vietnam Veterans of America, Lake County Chapter 951
AB 264 ASSEMBLY FLOOR VOTE:
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Bill
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Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield,
Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon,
DeVore, Duvall, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani,
Garrick, Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi,
Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Jeffries, Jones, Knight,
Krekorian, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza,
Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, John A.
Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Price, Ruskin, Salas,
Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Audra
Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran,
Villines, Yamada, Bass
NO VOTE RECORDED: Huffman
JJA:cm 9/11/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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