BILL ANALYSIS �
Bill No: AB
1652
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 1652 Author: Olsen
As Amended: March 19, 2012
Hearing Date: June 12, 2012
Consultant: Paul Donahue
SUBJECT
California American Portugese Veterans Memorial
DESCRIPTION
Authorizes the construction and maintenance of a memorial
in the Capitol Historic Region to honor California American
Portuguese veterans. Specifically, this urgency bill :
1)Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) in
consultation with California American Portuguese Club to
be responsible for planning and construction of a
memorial to honor California American Portuguese
veterans.
2)Establishes a California American Portuguese Veterans
Memorial Committee to identify an appropriate location
for the memorial in the Capitol Historic Region within
the existing boundary of the Capitol Veterans Memorial,
and to review a memorial design, in consultation with the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
3)Requires funds for the planning, construction, and
maintenance of the memorial be provided through private
donations to the American Portuguese Club, Inc.
4)Prohibits the construction of the memorial until the
master plan for the State Capitol Park is approved by the
Joint Committee on Rules and the Joint Committee on Rules
and the Department of Finance have determined that
AB 1652 (Olsen) continued
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sufficient private funding is available to construct and
maintain the memorial.
EXISTING LAW
Requires DGS to oversee the State Capitol and other
buildings and grounds of the state.
BACKGROUND
1)Author's statement : This bill authorizes the California
American Portuguese Veterans Memorial in Veterans Grove
of the Capitol State Park. The memorial will be funded
exclusively through private donations. California
American Portuguese Veterans are without a memorial to
properly honor the service and sacrifices given by these
men and women.
2)Existing memorials : To date, legislatively approved
memorials include, but are not limited to: California
Veterans Memorial, California Vietnam Veterans Memorial,
Peace Officers Memorial, World Peace Rose Garden,
Mexican-Americans Veterans Memorial, Firefighters
Memorial, Spanish-American War Memorial, bronze seals
commemorating the California Indians and Spanish/Mexican
settlers, Search-and-Rescue Memorial, Crime Victims
Memorial, and a Purple Heart Memorial.
3)Moratorium : The Joint Rules Committee is working with
DGS to develop a master plan for the Capitol Park
grounds. Until the plan is developed, DGS has instituted
an unofficial moratorium on additional memorials in
Capitol Park, which is supported by the Joint Rules
Committee.
SUPPORT:
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
American Legion - Department of California
American Portuguese Club, Inc.
AMVETS - Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Vietnam Veterans of America - California State Council
AB 1652 (Olsen) continued
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OPPOSE:
None on file
DUAL REFERRAL: Senate Committee on Rules
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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