BILL NUMBER: ACR 50ENROLLED BILL TEXT ADOPTED IN SENATE MAY 28, 2009 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 18, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 18, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 29, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Skinner (Coauthors: Assembly Members Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Bass, Beall, Bill 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, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Krekorian, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Ruskin, Salas, Silva, Smyth, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, and Yamada) MARCH 11, 2009 Relative to the 2009 State Scientist Day. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 50, Skinner. The 2009 State Scientist Day. This measure would proclaim May 20, 2009, as the 21st Annual State Scientist Day. WHEREAS, The State of California employs nearly 3,000 professional scientists in over 30 state departments working in more than 230 scientific classifications; and WHEREAS, State scientists hold graduate degrees in virtually every scientific discipline, including nematology, virology, seismology, epidemiology, toxicology, and many others; and WHEREAS, State scientists are represented by the California Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS), which is dedicated to professionalism, independence, responsible advocacy, and earning recognition for the important work of state scientists; and WHEREAS, The work of state scientists protects the public from life-threatening diseases, safeguards our wildlife and abundant natural resources, and protects our air and water from toxic waste and pollution; and WHEREAS, State scientists are required to make critical decisions every day based on rigorous scientific factfinding and these decisions ultimately impact the lives and property of all Californians; and WHEREAS, State scientists perform important work in the areas of infectious disease prevention, oil spill prevention and cleanup, public health drinking water monitoring, the protection of agricultural crops, brownfields mitigation, chemical and radiological disaster response, and much more; and WHEREAS, State scientists host an annual State Scientist Day at the State Capitol to increase public awareness and recognition of the significant contributions made by scientists working in state government while entertaining and educating over 2,000 elementary school students with fun, hands-on science exhibits, including digging for hidden artifacts, viewing live fish in a 1,500-gallon tank, and playing Pollution Prevention "Wheel of Fortune" and Coastal Creature "Jeopardy"; and WHEREAS, State Scientist Day has sparked an interest in science for thousands of California school children, legislators, state employees, and the public who attend the special event; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That May 20, 2009, shall be recognized as the 21st Annual State Scientist Day, and that this day shall be a tribute to the dedication and professionalism of the state scientists who work on behalf of all Californians; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.