BILL ANALYSIS �
SJR 22
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 19, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
Nancy Skinner, Chair
SJR 22 (Simitian) - As Amended: April 16, 2012
SUBJECT : World Press Freedom Day 2012.
SUMMARY : Recognizes May 3, 2012, as World Press Freedom Day
2012, encourages all state legislatures in the United States to
recognize May 3, 2012, as World Press Freedom Day 2012, thereby
acknowledging the importance of a free press in the United
States and the world. Specifically, this resolution makes the
following legislative findings:
1)In 1993, the United Nations declared May 3rd of each year as
World Press Freedom Day; and, now May 3rd is the annual date
that celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom,
evaluates press freedom around the world, defends the media
from attacks on its independence, and pays tribute to
journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their
profession.
2)The growing influence of Internet reporting is being injured
by censorship of Internet Web sites and imprisonment of online
editors, bloggers, and web-based reporters in different
countries throughout the world.
3)A free press throughout the world plays a key role in
sustaining and monitoring a healthy democracy, which
contributes to greater accountability in government and
promotes civic participation and economic development; and,
according to Freedom House, press freedom is now in decline in
almost every part of the world with only 15 percent of the
world's citizens live in countries that enjoy a free press.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
International Press Institute
Opposition
SJR 22
Page 2
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Anna McCabe / RLS. / (916) 319-2800