BILL NUMBER: ACR 67AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 29, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 18, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Furutani ( Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Block, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hernndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Olsen, Pan, Perea, John A. Prez, V. Manuel Prez, Portantino, Silva, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, and Yamada ) JUNE 8, 2011 Relative to Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders communities. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 67, as amended, Furutani. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders communities. This resolution would recognize the contributions of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities to California, and would also recognize the importance of preserving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and their traditions. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, Making up more than 284,000 community members, the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) community in California has one of the largest NHPI populations in the United States. In addition, the NHPI population increased by 23.4 percent between 2000 and 2010; and WHEREAS, The NHPI community makes up an incredibly diverse group comprised of a number of different ethnicities including, but not limited to, Guamanian/Chamorro, Native Hawaiian, Marshallese, Fijian, Samoan, and Tongan. Outside of Hawaii, California has the largest population of Native Hawaiians numbering 60,048. The second largest NHPI group is Samoan with a population of 49,804. Guamanian/Chamorro is the next largest NHPI group in California with a population of 33,849. The largest Tongan population in the United States is also found in California with a population of 15,252; and WHEREAS, As a result of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893, and the German-American conflict in Samoa in 1899, the United States came to assume formal government control of Guam, Hawaii, and American Samoa. Because of this, the Chamorros of Guam, the Hawaiians of Hawaii, and the Samoans of American Samoa became part of the United States. Most Pacific Islander migrants were men enlisted in the United States Armed Forces, and others worked in various plantation and entertainment industries. Today, Pacific Islanders are American citizens or American nationals; and WHEREAS, An influx of NHPIs arrived in California in the 1950s after World War II. Post World War II, military service brought Pacific Islanders from the United States territories of American Samoa and Guam to California. Native Hawaiians and Tongans came to California seeking economic opportunities, with many Tongans migrating to California via American Samoa. Mormon church activities also brought Tongan students and other NHPI immigrants to California. Many NHPIs initially settled in southern California cities such as Carson, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oceanside, and San Diego, while others settled in San Francisco. Most NHPI Californians today reside in the greater Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles areas; and WHEREAS, The 2010 Census Bureau data shows that NHPIs are continuing to become a growing part of our nation's economy. Between 2002 and 2007, NHPI-owned businesses saw a 31-percent growth in number, while United States businesses overall increased in number only 18 percent. NHPI-owned businesses also saw a 52-percent increase in revenue, while total business receipts for United States businesses increased only 33 percent. Data show that about 56 percent of all Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander businesses were owned by people of Native Hawaiian origin in 2007; Guamanian-owned or Chamorro-owned businesses accounted for 10 percent, Samoan-owned businesses accounted for 8 percent, and businesses owned by people of Other Pacific Islander descent accounted for 25 percent; and WHEREAS, The NHPI community faces unique challenges as a result of its distinct history and community experience. As a result, the NHPI community organized and helped institute an update to the federal Office of Management and Budget's Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 in 1997 to establish a specific Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander category relative to the collection of data; and WHEREAS, While NHPIs represent diverse ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds, they all also share similar cultural values and norms. These values include a respect and deference for elders, appreciation for reciprocal labor and time, and an understanding of communal and intergenerational authority; and WHEREAS, Preserving our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities throughout California is critical to our state history and for the preservation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culture, history, traditions, and other elements of their heritage; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes the role that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have played in the social, economic, and political development of California throughout the state's history; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature encourages all federal, state, and local organizations to promote the preservation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history and culture, including the preservation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.