BILL ANALYSIS �
Bill No: AB
2358
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 2358 Author: Hagman
As Amended: May 22, 2012
Hearing Date: June 26, 2012
Consultant: Art Terzakis
SUBJECT
State Capitol Building: Ronald Reagan Memorial
DESCRIPTION
AB 2358 authorizes the construction of a memorial in the
State Capitol Building Annex to honor former Governor and
United States President, Ronald Reagan. Specifically, this
measure:
1)Authorizes the private Ronald Reagan Centennial Capitol
Foundation to plan and construct in the State Capitol
Building Annex a memorial to Ronald Reagan.
2)Establishes the Ronald Reagan Memorial Review Committee,
to include the director of the Department of General
Services (DGS), the State Historic Preservation Officer,
a member of the Assembly appointed by the Assembly
Speaker, and a member of the Senate appointed by the
Senate Committee on Rules.
3)Requires the committee to consult with the foundation to
identify an appropriate location and design for the
memorial.
4)Requires DGS, in consultation with the foundation, to
review preliminary designs, ensure compliance with the
American with Disabilities Act (ADA), review and approve
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents,
review final construction documents, prepare the
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right-of-entry permit as specified, prepare a maintenance
agreement and inspect the construction performed by the
contractor selected by the foundation.
5)Requires the memorial design and any other aspect of the
memorial be approved by DGS and the committee.
6)Requires that the planning, construction and maintenance
of the memorial be funded exclusively through private
donations to the foundation and requires the Department
of Finance to determine sufficient private funding is
available to construct and maintain the memorial.
7)Requires the foundation, if it elects to undertake
responsibility for construction of the memorial, to sign
a maintenance agreement with the state to maintain the
memorial with private contributions.
EXISTING LAW
Existing law establishes the State Capitol Park as a unit
of the state park system. The State Capitol Park is part
of the Capitol Historic Region of the state park system,
which also includes the State Capitol Museum and several
other historic state park units. The State Capitol Park is
a unit of the state park system but is managed by DGS.
Existing law grants DGS general authority for planning,
leasing, managing, disposing of state property including
maintenance of the park around the State Capitol Building.
Existing law also provides for the placement of certain
memorials on the grounds of the State Capitol.
Existing law grants the Joint Rules Committee exclusive
authority to allocate space in the State Capitol Building
Annex except for the first floor of the building which is
under the control of DGS. The State Capitol Building Annex
is the annex to the historic State Capitol, constructed to
the east of the original building, situated in the area
bounded by 10th, L, 15th and N Streets in the City of
Sacramento. The east Annex was completed in 1952 to house
the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor and to provide
additional office space and committee rooms for the
Legislature.
AB 2358 (Hagman) continued
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BACKGROUND
The author's office states that President Ronald Reagan is
an American icon whose political career began in the
California State Capitol, specifically the East Wing or
Capitol Annex - there have been 44 United States Presidents
and only one of whom ever occupied the "corner office" of
California's State Capitol Building. The author's office
believes that President Reagan remains one of the most
influential leaders in both this state and the country's
history and deserves to be honored for his significant
political presence in the halls of California's Capitol.
The author's office notes that in state capitols across the
country, memorials stand in tribute to past presidents.
For example, a statue of President Jimmy Carter welcomes
guests at Georgia's capitol; President Lyndon B. Johnson
stands tall at the Texas Capitol in Austin; a statue of
John F. Kennedy is prominent on the grounds of the
Massachusetts State House in Boston. The author's office
emphasizes that there is no such public memorial honoring
President Reagan in the State Capitol, the place where his
political career began. Additionally, the author's office
points out that the Cabinet Room in the Governor's Suite of
the State Capitol is named the Ronald Reagan Cabinet Room.
However, besides Governor Reagan's official portrait, there
is no other public mention of the one California Governor
to become President of the United States in the Capitol.
The author's office references the fact that there are
several state and local structures named for President
Reagan around the state. Specifically, the Ronald Reagan
State Building in Los Angeles was opened in1990; the
western end of the State Route 118 Freeway, near the Ronald
Reagan Presidential Library, was named the "Ronald Reagan"
freeway; California is home to eight schools named for
President Reagan, seven Elementary Schools (in Bakersfield,
Chowchilla, Clovis, Kingsburg, Palm Desert, Sanger,
Wildomar) and one K-12 Academy in Dinuba; and, Ronald
Reagan Park is located in Diamond Bar. Also, the author's
office states that nearly every state has honored Ronald
Reagan with buildings, highways, schools, parks, etc.
Furthermore, a statue of Reagan (one of two donated by
California) is on display at the National Statuary Hall
Collection in the United States Capitol Building in
Washington D.C.
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Staff Comments:
1. Legislatively approved memorials on the grounds of the
State Capitol include, but are
not limited to: California Veterans of World War II,
California Vietnam Veterans,
California Veterans of the Korean War, California
Veterans of the Spanish-American
War, California Hispanic Veterans, World Peace Rose
Garden, Crime Victims
Memorial, Search-and-Rescue Memorial and a Purple
Heart Memorial. Additional
memorials include those dedicated to fallen California
law enforcement officers,
firefighters and Department of Transportation
employees.
2. Although this proposal does not involve placement of a
statue or memorial in Capitol
Park, it should be noted that 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.
3. Is it necessary that the Legislature establish basic
guidelines for naming buildings,
hearing rooms, outdoor and public areas and the
placement of statues or memorials in
the State Capitol Building to mitigate questions or
controversy in advance of
legislative consideration of such naming proposals or
placements?
4. Currently, neither the Legislature (Senate Committee on
Rules, Assembly Committee
on Rules, or Joint Committee on Rules) nor the
Department of General Services has
policies/guidelines in place prescribing procedure(s)
for the placement of a statue or
memorial in a public building or the naming of a
highly visible state-owned property
in honor of some individual, whether deceased or
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still living.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 767 (John A. Perez) 2011-12 Session. Would create the
"State Capitol Sustainability Task Force" consisting of
7-members (2 each appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly,
the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Governor and one
appointed by the Lieutenant Governor) to develop and
implement a sustainability initiative for the State Capitol
Building, the Legislative Office Building and the State
Capitol Park grounds. (Pending in Senate Appropriations)
AB 1652 (Olsen) 2011-12 Session. Authorizes the
construction and maintenance of a memorial in the Capitol
Historic Region to honor California American Portuguese
veterans. (Pending in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 1911 (Garrick) Chapter 121, Statutes of 2010.
Established, until January 1, 2012, the Ronald Reagan
Centennial Commission in state government to celebrate the
100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birth. Also, required
the commission to recommend appropriate means to allow
Californians to celebrate Ronald Reagan's life by honoring,
promoting, and remembering his achievements for this state
and country. Additionally, prohibited the commission from
using public funds.
SB 963 (Strickland) 2009-10 Session. Would have authorized
the construction of a memorial statue to Ronald Reagan in
the Capitol Historic Region and would have required that
the planning, construction, and maintenance of the memorial
be funded solely through private donations. (Held in
Senate Rules Committee)
AB 2871 (Tran) 2007-08 Session. Would have created, until
January 1, 2016, an 11-member "California Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial and American Civil War Sesquicentennial
Commission" to plan and implement activities to be carried
out in the state in observance of the bicentennial of
Abraham Lincoln's birth (in 2009) and the sesquicentennial
of the Civil War. (Vetoed - Governor's message read as
follows, "The historic delay in passing the 2008-2009 State
Budget has forced me to prioritize the bills sent to my
desk at the end of the year's legislative session. Given
the delay, I am only signing bills that are the highest
AB 2358 (Hagman) continued
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priority for California. This bill does not meet that
standard and I cannot sign it at this time.")
SJR 3 (Hollingsworth) Chapter 143, Statutes of 2006.
Memorialized Congress to place a statue of former President
Ronald Reagan next to the statue of Father Junipero Serra
in the Congressional collection representing California.
SUPPORT: As of June 22, 2012:
California Republican Party
Elmets Communications
Michael Reagan, President, Ronald Reagan Legacy Foundation
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library
Tehama County Republican Party
Former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III
OPPOSE: None on file as of June 22, 2012.
DUAL REFERRAL: Senate Committee on Rules
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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