BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 199|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 199
Author: Ma (D)
Amended: 7/12/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-0, 6/22/11
AYES: Lowenthal, Alquist, Blakeslee, Hancock, Huff, Liu,
Price, Simitian, Vargas
NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner, Vacancy
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 72-0, 4/11/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Role of Filipinos in World War II
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill encourages social science instruction
in grades 7-12 to include the role of Filipinos in World
War II.
Senate Floor Amendments of 7/12/11 make minor technical
changes.
ANALYSIS : The History-Social Science Framework includes
strands on World War II and the role of various countries
and people. The current framework does not specifically
include reference to the role of Filipinos in World War II.
Existing law:
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1. Authorizes social science instruction in grades 7-12 to
include instruction on World War II and the American
role in that war. The Legislature encourages this
instruction to include a component drawn from personal
testimony, especially in the form of oral or video
history. The oral histories must exemplify personal
sacrifice and courage, contain views and comments of
their subjects and solicit specific comments from their
subjects.
2. Encourages social science instruction in grades 7-12 to
include instruction on the Vietnam War including the
"Secret War" in Laos and the role of Southeast Asians in
that war. The Legislature also encourages this
instruction to include a component drawn from personal
testimony and the oral histories must meet nearly
identical specifications as listed above.
This bill encourages social science instruction in grades
7-12 to include the role of Filipinos in World War II.
Specifically, this bill:
1. Encourages social science instruction for grades 7-12 to
include instruction on World War II and the role of
Filipinos in that war, consisting of an accurate history
of the contributions of the Filipino American veterans
who fought courageously in the United States Army.
2. Encourages instruction about the role of Filipinos in
World War II to include a component drawn from personal
testimony, especially in the form of oral or video
histories of Filipinos who were involved in World War II
and those men and women who contributed to the war
effort on the homefront. This bill encourages the oral
histories to do all of the following:
A. Exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of
the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called
upon to participate and to provide intelligence for
the United States.
B. Contain the views and comments of their subjects
regarding the reasons for their participation in the
war.
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C. Solicit comments from their subjects regarding the
aftermath of the war and the immigration of Filipinos
to the United States.
Comments
Curricular frameworks . The state's process for the review
and update of curricular frameworks has been halted since
July 2009, and is prohibited from resuming until the
2015-16 school year. Instruction that the state wishes to
be provided statewide is typically included in the
framework. The Curriculum Commission was in the process of
updating the History-Social Science framework when the
framework and instructional material adoption process was
halted pursuant to legislation. Therefore, this bill could
be implemented by school districts that choose to do so but
would not be included in the framework until at least the
2015-16 school year.
Prior Legislation
AB 717 (Cook), 2009-10 Session, was identical to this bill
in an early version. AB 717 was amended to address a
different topic.
AB 3084 (Cook), 2007-08 Session, was also identical to this
bill. Passed the Senate with a vote of 37-1 on August 20,
2008. The bill was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger whose
veto message read, in part:
"While I respect the author's intent to recognize the
role of Filipinos who fought courageously in World War
II, I have consistently vetoed legislation that has
attempted to include specific details or events into
areas of instruction. The State Board of Education
adopted content standards are developed by a diverse
group of experts and are intentionally broad in order to
allow coverage of various events, developments, and
issues. I continue to believe that the State should
establish rigorous academic standards and frameworks, but
refrain from being overly prescriptive in specific school
curriculum."
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FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/13/11)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO
AMVETS - Department of California
California Language Teachers Association
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Consulate General of the Philippines
KAYA - Filipino Americans for Progress
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 72-0, 4/11/11
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Garrick,
Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi,
Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries,
Jones, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza,
Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen,
Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel P�rez, Portantino, Silva,
Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao,
Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Donnelly, Fletcher, Gorell, Halderman,
Knight, Mansoor, Norby, Vacancy
CPM:kc 7/13/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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